


Claves Ad Caelum Et Infernum: The Keys to Heaven and Hell, End!Verse/Destiel AU

by finedininganddestiel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Destiel - Freeform, End!verse, M/M, My First Destiel Fanfic, Supernatural AU - Freeform, destiel au, end!verse AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-03-31
Updated: 2014-10-01
Packaged: 2018-01-17 18:17:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 23,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1397761
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/finedininganddestiel/pseuds/finedininganddestiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>End!verse AU: The apocalypse has started, originating from a civil war in Heaven, destroying most of Earth. The angels are dead and dying, and demons run amuck on Earth. Dean has just gotten out of Hell when he's kidnapped in the middle of the night and taken from his brother Sam. Dean wakes up in a cold cell room, with one other person for company, a fallen angel named Castiel. Castiel and Dean try to escape, while its a race against the clock for Sam to reach Dean before the Angels plans destroy everything the Winchesters love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Freedom is a length of rope, and God wants you to hang yourself with it, coursed through Castiel's mind as he looked at the chaos around him. Heaven was in chaos. People were screaming, arguing around them, and the noise level had reached an octave that only those that belong to heaven could hear. Raphael stood at the front of the room, his face stoic, and silent. His vessel stood before them, dark skinned, with dark eyes. He was wearing a fine tailored suit, and on the sleeve you could see a smear of blood. "SILENCE!", He yelled, as the room stopped at a standstill at the Archangels words.

"The war is coming, and it is coming tomorrow.", He stated, cooly. "Whether you're with me", He continued, his eyes gazing across the room, "Or against me", He pulled an angel blade out of his pocket, his eyes flashing blue. "The steps to release Lucifer from his cage have been taken. We will attack Hell, and we will triumph. We will stop Lucifer before he even has a chance to rise. And in the process.. we rid ourselves of these human wastes that have been left before us.", His face twisted in disgust, like he had tasted something foul. "We'll start the war on Hell, and we'll finish it on Earth. And when were done, the humans will have perished in the flames, and the Devil will lay dying at our feet. And we will have what we've always wanted. Paradise." Raphael's face twisted, into a feral grin.

The angels around him cheered, and screamed in bloodthirst. Castiel's eyes closed, the crowd pushing and rocking around him like the sea. He felt like he was drowning, that he had water in his lungs. He knew that his garrison, was greatly outnumbered by Raphael's. Six billion lives were in their hands, and all of them were about to be extinguished in a war that would annihilate them all.

"STOP!", someone yelled, pushing forward to the front of the room, where Raphael was standing. "Brother, stop! Listen to what you are saying. This Earth, these humans, they will never survive the chaos of this war. You speak of Paradise, But there already is one. If we start this war.. Lucifer will surely be risen. Let us take the steps to stop the seals from being broken, stop Lilith before we're too late." Before them Michael stood, his vessel young and bold. His hair golden, his blue eyes pools, absorbing the chaos before him. His vessel was young, about nineteen years old. "I stood before another who spoke like this once, and watched his fall to Earth, our Morningstar", Michael said, his face somber. The room around them tensed and quieted at the mention of how close these Angels were to damning themselves, damning everyone with a bloodthirsty war. "Please, let us take the steps to prevent this war, and save the lives of ourselves, and our human charges. These humans, they need us. Were suppose to be their saviors, not their annihilators.", He stood before the congregation, his jaw set. His arms crossed over his chest, he looked older than his vessel appeared.

"I'm sorry brother, but these humans are nothing but apes. This is the only way to defeat Hell. I'm sorry you failed to see that", Raphael responded, his movements so quick that nobody could have predicted what was happening, let alone stop it. The blade in Raphael's hand moved fast and sudden, plunging deep into Michael's back. He screamed and fell down to his knees before them, while Raphael stood above him, above them all.

The crowd surged and moved, and Cas could sense the fear surging through his brothers and sisters, and something else. Bloodlust. Some of Michael's followers surged forward, to apprehend Raphael, and to go to Michael's aid. "SEIZE THEM!", Raphael screamed, and his followers quickly turned on the angels around them. Cas tried to move forward, away, before he was captured. He and a large part of the angels had formed a garrison with Michael after God's departure, and it was no mystery that Cas was close to Michael, and in his inner circle. He had to find Anna, he had to try to reach Michael. He felt a hand grab his arm, and he was quickly spun around towards his captor, his trench coat spinning from the momentum. "Don't move, Castiel. I won't hesitate to end your pitiful life right here.", Uriel said, standing before him, before he smashed his fist into Castiel's face.

* * *

 It was hot out, and the fan above provided no comfort. Cas stared at the ceiling, watching the blades on the fan move lazily by. Covering the fan was a worn down anti possession symbol. He heard the buzz of crickets above, and he envied them. How long had he been trapped here? Cas wiped the sweat off his brow and laid back down on his cot. He was just about to doze back off, the crickets lulling him to sleep. 

THUNK. Cas jolted back awake, the floorboards groaning over his head sending dust down into his cell. Cas heard the telltale noises that alerted him that someone was coming down the stairs. Each nail in the boards creaked, putting Cas on edge. He moved into the shadows, farther back on his bed. He scrunched his back against the wall, making his body as small as possible. Once he would have felt ashamed at what he was doing, how afraid he was. He'd be ashamed of what a coward he had become. But not anymore. His fear overrode any other emotion. It washed over him like clouds before a midday storm. If only his brothers could see him now. He heard the door open, and he looked down. Despite himself he started to shake. He always did. He heard something being dragged forward, and a distinct thud. He heard the footsteps walking forward towards him. Not again. His wounds from the last time hadn't even begun to heal. He prayed to anyone still listening. Please. Please. Closer. The figure stopped right outside his shadow of the cot. He felt those eyes burning into him. He could feel the smirk growing on the figures face. He couldn't help but think of their last "session". He still felt the knife on his body, the slicing and dicing. Cas met his gaze and swallowed down the bile moving up his throat. The mans smirk grew, and he winked at Cas before turning away.

Cas was sweating, his breath coming out in little gasps. He knew that he could hear him but he didn't care. The figure moved out of the room, closing the door behind him. Cas looked up to see a disheveled mess lying there. He had fair skin, and dark blonde hair. He was wearing ripped jeans and old green army style jacket. Cas heart started to beat in his chest. The man started to groan and looked up, looking first thing at him. Cas's body slowly relaxed, his blood starting to slow in his ears.

* * *

The first thing Dean ever saw that ever really mattered was him, this strangers blue eyes bringing him forward and collapsing over him like a tsunami wave. That was all he could see as he laid there on the floor, staring. The rest of his body was hidden in shadow. The eyes looked over him, gazing long enough on him that Dean started to sweat. His eyebrows were scrunched, almost perplexed. Atleast Dean wasn't the only one confused about what the fuck was happening. Dean tried to get up, to move, but a wave of dizziness knocked the breath out of him, knocking him down from his stance to stand. Dean gazed around the room, his vision blurry and disoriented, the furniture and figure before him spinning. Dean tried to slow his breathing, get a fucking grip on what was happening. His eyes finally started to focus on the guy in front of him,

"Jesus, that was some party last night", Dean said, trying to sound cool and lighthearted; but coming off the opposite.

"To be honest, this wouldn't be the first time I was out of my fucking mind, kneeling before a stranger in a locked room", Dean slurred, his world spinning around him again like a demented carousel.

The man's eyes crinkled, and he smirked down at Dean lying there before him. Dean's cheeks warmed at the noise, at the implications in his words. His heart raced, and his fathers face flashed before his eyes. What would good ol' John Winchester say about his son now? His son the disappointment, the queer? Like it fucking mattered what John thought. He was gone, but his John still managed to screw with him, fuck up his head. Who gave a fuck if he liked guys? Sammy didn't. Who else really mattered? The vertigo started to get to him, and Dean felt his consciousness slipping away like sand through his fingers. He started to pass out, John's snarling face appearing in his head. "No!" Dean mumbled as he passed back into oblivion,knowing exactly where his subconscious was taking him and hating himself for it.

* * *

He remembered the night his dad had caught him out with the boy from the motel desk. John had let the boys out and driven off. Dean stared down the road, watching the dust kick up after the impala. He saw Sammy's shoulders start to sag, whether from relief or something else it was hard to tell. Sam looked up at him, squinting.

"Just you and me again Dean. Tell me again why Dad won't take us along?", Sam grumbled.

"Because.. Every time we get close to the monsters they see your face and run off", Dean replied, smirking. Sam smiled, and tried to playfully fight Dean for his comment. Dean laughed, grabbing Sammy in his arms. Sammy let out a laugh, and they scrapped for a few minutes. Anyone driving by would just see two kids, messing around.

"Alright, enough enough.", Dean said, rustling Sammy's hair. "Let me go check us in", Dean moved toward the motel office door, Sammy sat down on the rusting bench outside.

Dean walked into the office, and halfway to the desk stopped in his tracks. His name was Aaron, and he was the most beautiful thing Dean had ever seen. He had short brown hair and gorgeous eyes. Long eyelashes that Dean found himself staring. He found himself tongue-tied and blustered, his words coming out jumbled.

 "Checking in?", Aaron asked him as he approached the front desk.

"Yea.. Um.. One room please.", Dean stuttered out in reply. Aaron didn't hesitate, smirking at Deans blunders. Aaron had given Dean the keys, their hands touching. Dean felt his face light up like a christmas tree, red as Rudolphs nose.

"Come tell me if you need anything" Aaron said, his words making Dean choke on his own. "I Will- I'll do that. Thanks." Dean stumbled the words out of his mouth. When he went back out front his face was still burning.

Sammy was reading a book they'd picked up at the gas station down the road, a Stephen King novel. Dean thought they had enough nightmares in their life without adding any of Stephen King's horrors to the mix, but he didn't argue when Sammy brought it up to the counter that morning. Dean closed the motel office door behind him, the bell jingling. Sammy looked up at Dean quickly, giving him a sheepish, tired smile, "Did you get us a room?" Sam said, an unasked question in the air. Sam looked over his shoulder towards Aaron, a naïvety in his gaze. He must have been watching them inside. Dean got the feeling that Sammy knew, and more importantly that he didn't care. "Yea", Dean said, any witty response he had dying on his lips. He didn't meet Sammy's eyes, not knowing how to answer the question in Sam's words. They went to their room, but all Dean saw behind his eyes was Aaron.

It was about 10:30 at night when Dean just couldn't take it anymore. "Umm.. I'm going to go out and get some fresh air. I'm feeling a little antsy with Dad gone.", Dean awkwardly stood near the door, pointing over his shoulder.

Dean could hear the lie in his voice, and quickly tried to cover it up, "Don't watch too much pay per view while I'm gone", Dean said, planting a hopefully convincing grin on his face. Sam rolled his eyes and turned back to the program playing on the tv. Dean grabbed his coat, not looking back as he left. As the door closed behind Dean, Sam looked back towards the door. Sammy bit his lip, worry creasing his face. Who knew when Dad would be home? He turned down the volume on the TV, every car outside sounding like the impalas, and every time he felt his heart lurch in his chest.

Out front Dean walked towards the motel desk, and not seeing Aaron there checked around back. Aaron was out there, smoking a cigarette. He looked up and smiled.

"I was hoping I would see you". Dean's face was red, and he found a boldness he hadn't had before. "And why is that?" Dean asked, walking over slowly towards Aaron. His usual wit and charm flowing back into him as easily as ever.

Aaron started, looking amused at his response. "Because ever since you walked in, I haven't been able to get my mind off you", Aaron replied, dropping his cig and smashing it with his foot. He looked up, eyes coy.

"Well, maybe I can help you get something else on your mind", Dean closed the gap between them pushing Aaron up against the motel wall.

Dean leaned in, their lips colliding. Dean grinded up on Aaron, making him moan. Aaron's breath on his face, his moans making him light- headed. Dean felt Aaron moving his hands all over his body, egging him on. Dean balled his hand in on the wall beside Aaron's face, he moved his mouth and slowly kissed Aaron from his shoulders up his neck. He stroked Aaron's face, savoring the touch. Aaron's moved his hand down Dean's torso, electric shocks sending signals throughout his body. Nothing else had ever made him feel like this, feel alive. Aaron hand reached his belt, undoing it and started moving slowly downward. Aaron opened his eyes, taking his time moving his hand, leaving Dean in agony. Dean's breath caught in his chest, he leaned into Aaron's body, telling him "Faster.. Faster". Aaron grabbed his cock, moving his hand up and down. "Oh God", Dean groaned as Aaron moved his hand faster and faster, just how Dean liked it. Dean let out a huge moan, and hurriedly moved his own hand down, not knowing how much longer he could hold out before he came. Dean grabbed Aaron's cock, savoring the hitch in his Aaron's voice as he started. "Baby.. Does that feel good?", Dean asked Aaron, while he moved his hand faster and faster around Aaron's cock. Aaron groaned, "Dean.. Oh god.. I think. I'm-" Aaron groaned as he came, sending cum all over Dean's hand. He removed his hand from Aaron's pants, pushing himself back onto Aaron with a fierce intensity. Aaron slowed his hand down, knowing Dean was close. Aaron moved his other hand and grabbed Dean's hand, intertwining their fingers. Aaron slowed, almost stopping until Dean finally came.

Dean opened his eyes, and Aaron moved forward as the slowly started to kiss. Dean broke away, kneading his fingers around Aaron's hands. Aaron grabbed Dean's face, so that Dean was looking at him.

"What's wrong? Was it not good for you?", Aaron said, seeming to shrink in age before Dean's eyes.

"No.. you were perfect", Dean said trying to reassure him.

Dean gave his hand a squeeze "It's just.. I've never really been with anyone before.. not like this. I mean- I've kissed guys before but those were just stolen kisses, you know?", Aaron's eyes widened with understanding, then softening.

"Does your family.. Do they know?", Aaron asked, his voice sympathetic. Dean struggled to make his face even, "God no". Dean let out a humorless laugh. Aaron moved his hand and rested it on Dean's face, and Dean closed his eyes and wrapped his hand over Aaron's. Dean let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

Aaron whispered in Dean's ear, "Come back to my room with me. You can stay with me tonight, baby. It'll be okay." Aaron whispered. Dean heard the need in his voice, along with the wanting.

"Of course", Dean said, hearing the same in his own. He smiled down at Aaron and their eyes locked. Dean didn't realize till then how much he needed this. Needed someone. How alone he had felt. Dean pushed himself forward till he and Aaron's foreheads were touching, and just let out a sigh. Dean was leaning back in to kiss Aaron again when he heard a noise to the left of them, towards the beginning of the alleyway. He stopped cold, his hand on Aaron's face.

He saw John standing there. God how much had he seen? He felt all the warmth melt out of him, fear falling over him faster than a waterfall. John was standing there, swaying. Drunk as hell. He felt Aaron tighten his hand in his at Dean's reaction, and Aaron struggled to look composed.

John snarled, his lip curling in disgust. Like he always knew what Dean was, what he felt. John moved forward and grabbed him by the jacket, knocking him to the ground. Dean's hands automatically went to protect his head, and tried to get up.. to crawl away. John reached down and grabbed his jacket, pulling him back towards him. The sound of his leather jacket scratching the ground as it was pulled along the asphalt rang in his ears. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Sammy. He must have followed John after John hadn't found Dean in the room. He heard Sammy start to curse, and run forward screaming at John to stop.

There was blood rushing into Dean's eyes, and he could feel his breath whoosh out of his as John kicked him again and again, John tearing into him, over and over. Dean could feel the blood running down his face, blow after blow. Until it was over. Sammy was next to him all of a sudden trying to lift him, tears streaming down his face. Sammy was saying soothing words in his ears while Aaron ran off to get a towel and a first aid kit. 

Dean looked up just in time to see John walking away after, like Dean wasn't even worth his time, like he was no better than the scum they hunted. Aaron ran back towards them, kneeling down next to Dean, stroking his face while Sammy tried to stop to bleeding.

"I'm Sorry" Dean kept saying to them, over and over. He kept saying it till it was unclear who he was saying it for anymore. Aaron's eyes were huge, like lanterns. He looked so afraid, that Dean reached and grabbed his hand. Even bleeding out on the ground, Dean couldn't help but care for everyone else. Sammy was looking at him with a fierceness in his eye, swearing that John didn't have the right to treat them like this.

And all Dean could say was "I'm Sorry". Thats all he could ever say.

* * *

 _"Sammy"_ , Dean murmured as he woke from unconsciousness. He tried to get up, "My brother... I have to get back to him. He needs me". Dean tried standing and started to crumble back towards the ground. Quicker than expected the man darted forward and grabbed him. Holding his shoulder with one hand, it almost burned the sensation between them. He wrapped his other arm around his torso. 

"Easy there. We don't want you to end up with a worse concussion than the one you probably already have." Dean was suddenly very aware of their bodies, the distance between them. The man stared at his face, looking him up and down, like he was checking for injuries. His eyes went back up and landed on Dean's, and his eyes widened, like he had just realized how intimately they were standing. Before Dean could react, his heart an explosion of sound in his own chest, the man scooped Dean up in his arms like he weighed less than nothing, placing him gently down on a bed nearby.

"You shouldn't push yourself, you look like you have a pretty severe concussion. We'll find your brother, but now you should rest. Please", He swallowed, a lump in his throat, before breaking eye contact and turning out from the shadow the cot was in. He walked forward and Dean gasped an intake of air without meaning.

The man stood in the light for the first time, His back to Dean. Brown messy hair, the man was running his hands through it with one hand. His back was covered in scars. It looked like someone had poorly tried to cut out wings onto his back with a box cutter. They were ragged and rough going up and down his whole back. Some looked like they had been reopened multiple times, while some look like they were as recent as the last twenty-four hours.

Dean tried to stop his eyes from widening. The man's shoulders stiffened when he heard Dean's reaction. Cas was so used to being alone he had forgotten about his scars. His fingers shook a little as he turned around quickly, eyes downcast.

"It's not as bad as it looks. And at least afterwards he gave me those down feathers for bedding. His idea of some sort of joke I assume", A weak smile. "Don't worry you have to do something especially remarkable to end up with marks like these. And you have to be a coward to end up surviving here this long", He stared down at his feet rubbing his five o clock shadow thoughtfully. He was wearing old tattered jeans, covered in blood and dust, bare feet peeking out from the stretched out cuffs.

 "Whats your name?", he asked. "Dean. Dean Winchester", Dean answered. "And what's your name, Sweetheart?" Dean asked, his eyes squinting slightly. "Im Castiel, And I'm going to save you." he said plainly, in a way that Dean didn't doubt Castiel's words for a second.


	2. Chapter 2

" _Castiel"_ , a faint whisper fled through Castiel's ear. He struggled against the black before his eyes, trying to blink. " _Cas, Wake Up!",_ The voice came to him again, this time more urgent. He felt someones hands on his body, shaking him. He recognized the voice, his eyes snapped open. Everything was swirling above him, Cas felt his eyes trying to focus. He saw someone above him, a flame of red hair swirling above. The face snapped into focus, and he was looking up into Anna's eyes. 

"Castiel, Castiel. Oh my god, you're awake.", Anna exclaimed, her eyes bright. Her expression seemed worried, and there was dried blood on her face. Cas started to sit up, looking around the room. It was somewhat dark, but he knew where they were instantly. He was on a concrete floor, with a single bed beside them. There were bars on the walls, and through the bars he could see two guards on duty. He saw others in the room with them, but his eyes were unfocused. He felt nausea in his stomach, and struggled to grasp onto Anna.

 "Anna, Where are we?", He asked. He felt like he knew the answer, in his heart. But his head, his mind, needed confirmation anyways. Anna licked her lips, "Were in Heaven's jail, Castiel. We've been sentenced to death for treason". Castiel felt his mind swirl, and he took in a great breath to calm his mind and heart. Castiel started to stand, holding onto Anna for help. He stumbled and swayed on his feet, and he felt Anna's hand steadying him. He looked around the room at the others who were being held with them.

Standing over them, concerned, was Samandriel. His vessel was young, but his soul was old, and his grace was strong. When he noticed Castiel's eyes on him, he gave a small smile. Castiel's eyes darted on to the next angel in the room, lounging in the corner. He was standing his back pressed up against the wall, giving off the feel off nonchalance. He had brown hair with some wisps of gray in it, and he had some slight scruff on his chin and above his mouth. His vessel appeared a little older than Castiel's, but his eyes were young. Mischievous. Balthazar nodded at him, before conjuring up a drink into his hand. 

"Quite the conundrum you've gotten us in this time, Cassie.", Balthazar said to him, his voice lilted somewhat with an accent. "Balthazar, Samandriel. Where is everyone? The rest of our garrison?", Castiel looked over at Anna, who still had her hand gripped onto him, holding him up. She looked at the others, a conversation going between all of them silently, "Castiel, I think their already gone". Castiel looked around at them, his expression perplexed, eyebrows scrunched. "Gone?", Anna looked back at him, meeting his eyes. 

"Castiel, We've been sentenced as guilty to committing treason. Most of our garrison was wiped out in the riot. The ones that survived...", Anna gulped, looking at the others for strength. "There was a couple of the survivors in the other cells, angels that had survived the riots. Muriel, Ezekiel, Hester. The guards took them.", Anna closed her eyes at her own words.

Castiel felt his blood start to boil, his blood heating up. His friends, his companions. They had fought together, stood together. He felt their loss in his heart, and his soul meant to grieve. He felt his heart and mind howl, screaming. His garrison, his friends. Destroyed. 

"What did they do to them?", Castiel felt the calm in his words, the underlying notes of anger surging beneath. Samandriel spoke up then, and Castiel turned towards them, "They ripped out their grace, Castiel. And let them fall towards war-wrecked Earth." Samandriel stood solemnly, and as Castiel looked around the room at the others he knew that it was true. Balthazar looked back at him with pity, taking a huge gulp of the drink in his hand. Castiel felt his heart contract, he felt better knowing that Balthazar was here. Safe.

Castiel turned back towards Anna, gripping her tight. Her eyes met his, and he saw his reflection in her eyes. What had he done? Castiel started to take a step then, his body swaying. Anna and Samandriel both stepped forward, pulling his towards the small bed. Castiel sat on the bed, its solidness under his body grounding him.

He looked up at them then, question on his tongue, "What of Michael? Did Raphael kill him?". Samandriel answered Castiel's question, speaking forward, his words unfiltered, "No one knows, No one who has left the cells has survived to tell us."

Michael. The heart and soul of their tiny garrison. The angels had lived in harmony, until Hell had started to rise. At the first whispers that Hell was trying to raise Lucifer, the angels had started to fight, pushing away from each other. Right at the beginning, Raphael and his followers had started to rise. Raphael stated that they needed to end this threat, and stop Hell in their tracks through a bloody war that would ravage the world. Michael's garrison had started to rise soon after. Michael was compassionate, a true angel. He loved humans like they were his own creations, and would protect them to the death. He followed in their fathers footsteps, a shepherd to all humans and angels. Michael and Castiel had always been close, for their philosophies towards the humans had always been in sync. Michael and Castiel had fought in the angelic wars together, and had later been both stationed as Guardians together on Earth after the wars. It was no surprise to anyone when Michael had asked Castiel to be his right hand man, his lieutenant. At Castiel's appointment, the rest of Castiel's allies and friends had joined the ranks. Anna, Balthazar, Samandriel, Muriel, Ezekiel, and Hester, among many others. He worried for Michael, his brother.  _Brother, Where are you?_ He felt his heart reach out, his grace searching for Michaels. Before Castiel could open his mouth to speak, they were interrupted. Uriel stood in front of the cell, his smile malignant.

"Castiel, and the last of his pitiful Garrison. Come forward and meet your reckoning. Raphael will see you now.", Uriel smiled then, his face like a Halloween pumpkin. The bars of the cell swung open, and the guards swarmed in to grab the remaining few of Michael's garrison. Two guards came forward for each angel, and Castiel found himself dragged to his feet.

He heard Balthazar swearing in protest behind him, and the sound of glass breaking. He wanted to tell Balthazar to be quiet, not to cause trouble. To keep his head down. Before he could tell him to calm himself, They were marched forward out of the cells, through the chaos that had started at the riot. There was bodies everywhere, of his brothers, and of Raphael's army. He looked in dismay at the carnage, at his friends and foes he recognized alike. They marched forward towards Raphael's throne room, silence deafening them in their ears.

The doors swung open, and Raphael sat before them. They walked into the room, and were pushed to kneel before Raphael's seat. They were in what appeared to be a throne room, decorated with fine pieces of art and decor. Angels stood around the perimeter, near Raphael. Castiel spotted some of Raphael's lieutenants,Naomi, along with Zachariah. Uriel came in last, closing the big doors behind them. Raphael sat right in front of them, glowing. He sat on a throne, his expression serene. His expression exuded calm, like a lioness right before an attack.

There was silence, and in that moment Castiel could feel his companions hearts, beating in sync with his own. He looked to his right, at Anna. She kneeled beside him, magnificent. Her expression was calm, a distinct fury in her hair glowed bright, and her eyes shown with a ferocity that could be recognized anywhere. To his left, he saw Samandriel and Balthazar. Samandriel looked calm, though his eyes betrayed him. He look frightened, and his eyes darted around the room. Samandriel was one of the youngest of Heaven's angels,and Castiel felt a protectiveness towards him. Samandriel had idolized Castiel, and had joined the Garrison the minute Castiel did. Castiel felt like he had betrayed him, had brought him to slaughter. And he had, hadn't he? He had betrayed them all.

He looked last at Balthazar, one of his oldest friends. He felt his heart contract, and Balthazar looked at Castiel upon feeling his gaze. Balthazar gave a weak smile then, and a nod. Like he was saying it was okay, that they fought hard and done the right thing. Castiel felt a lump in his throat then, at Balthazar's actions. He and Balthazar went way back, even before he had met Michael. Castiel and Balthazar had been roughly the same age, and had been in the same rookie garrison at the beginning. They had trained together, gaining their skills. They had been partners, and angels had said if they fought together, nothing could stand in their ways. They had trained until they were both perfectly in sync, and they had defeated whole armies together. They were brothers, and Castiel was thankful in that moment for Balthazar being there beside him. It felt fitting, that had started together, now they would end together.

 If this was the end, what their father had planned for them, so be it. He would go out with his brothers. Castiel looked forward once again, toward Raphael. He stared straight ahead, knowing that whatever was coming, he would take. For his garrison. For his fallen brothers. For Heaven, and for his human charges below him.

* * *

 Cas stared at the man before him, and wondered where those words had come from. He could barely save himself, let alone another human, "Well, I hate to break it to you, but if that's why your here then you're doing a pretty shitty job of it", Dean replied. Cas looked down at his feet, his eyes unfocused, thinking. Dean couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about, or who. And how many times he'd been here before, how many people had he seen come through this funhouse.

"My brothers might not think me possible of doing anything right but I'll prove them right by you Dean." Castiel stated, and just for a moment Dean could of swore they seemed to glow. His eyes a beautiful shade of blue already, turned obsidian. But just for a brief second, before extinguishing again like a match in water. Dean opened his mouth but his words collapsed as the two of them heard a loud creaking from above them.

Castiel pivoted to the side, just giving Dean a small glance of his back. Those Scars. Dean recognized them as he stared at them, mesmerized. Dean had seen marks like this before, recognized the style. He laid and watched as the monster who did this to Cas stood over him, again and again. He recognized the scars on Cas as the ones he had seen on himself,

"Cas, who's up there? Who brought me here?", Dean asked. Cas turned back to Dean, eyes filled with an emotion Dean couldn't comprehend. Fear. All Cas said was one word,

"Alastair". Dean could hear the blood in his head, the ba-bumps rapidly increasingly. The noise reached maximum volume, and Dean thought his heart was going to burst out of his chest. The room got too bright and suddenly it felt like he was falling. He took one huge breath of air, and still felt like there was water in his lungs.

But all Dean saw was fire. Blood. Screams. His skin burned and he felt like he was back in Hell once more.

* * *

Dean remembered Sam's first steps. He walked towards Dean's outstretched hands. John had been hunting and had left them at Bobby's house when it happened. Dean remembered Bobby's smile, how he had ruffled his hair.

"You'll do right by him, boy. You two will save the world one day", Bobby would tell him. He remembered Sammy's last steps, as he walked towards Dean in that abandoned ghost town. As he was standing there about to get mauled by hellhounds he didn't regret it for a second.

Sammy stepped towards Dean, and the last thing Dean had seen was Sammy's face. Sam's tears falling on his face as everything faded to black. End Scene. All of a sudden he had the sensation he was falling, and he let out a startled gasp. He closed his eyes, trying to stay calm. A scream gurgled in his throat, and he tried to control it.

He was gaining speed and as he fell, images shaped in his mind. It was like his life flashed before his eyes but instead of all his greatest hits he saw his worst. Like Alice in Wonderland as she fell he struggled to comprehend the complex images around him. The night Dean had gone out to the arcade and unknowingly left Sammy in complete danger. He saw his mothers face, and the felt the heat of the fire and the weight of Sammy in his arms.

He saw all the times Sammy and his Dad had fought, going at it while Dean could just stand there and watch, tied between his heart and his head. He saw the night Sammy left for Stanford, and how John had yelled that if Sam left for him to never come back. He saw Sammy look to him, pleading. But he just looked down, and let Sammy walk out of his life. And finally, he saw himself at those crossroads. Bobby's fingers brushing his face, tears in his eyes.

"I couldn't do it Bobby. I couldn't live with him dead", he heard murmured in his ears, rushing past him. He felt the ground lurch under him once more and then... nothing.

Dean opened his eyes, his hands shook and he tried to stand. He was in a tiny cell, bars for doors. He groaned, and moved his hands all over his body, searching for wounds he knew wouldn't be there. All of a sudden the hair on the back of his neck prickled, and out of the corner of his eye saw movement. Someone was in here with him. A man stepped forward, tall and lean. He had brown hair, and cruel eyes. Slight stubble covered his face. The man looked at Dean and slowly started walking towards him;

"Welcome aboard, Dean. I have the feeling you and I are going to be spending alot of time together. Your one of our most famous guests, you know. ", Dean felt a snark string of curses forming on his tongue, but he held them back, settling for a slight scowl instead.

"You really managed to piss off alot of people didn't you Dean. Tsk tsk.", The man cooed at him, reprimanding him like an adult to a small child. "The higher ups are just dying to see you.", A smile cracked across his face, lighting him up like a Jack O Lantern on halloween night. He had an almost southern drawl, and he smiled down at Dean. 

"Sorry no visitors though, no Sammy to help you here. But I've heard he's been trying to come and be your new bunkmate. I've heard he's been hitting up all the crossroads lately", Dean's blood went cold, and he knew in his heart if Sammy ended up here he wouldn't have any way to protect him. "Maybe we can make an exception for him, hmm?", The man winked at Dean, and Dean felt his mouth start to move, and his words fell out even though he knew what he was going to say he was going to regret.

"Bite me, you black eyed little fucker", Dean snarled, pushing himself to his feet."Oooh, ouch kiddo", the man said, faking hurt. "But I like the enthusiasm kiddo.", His face transforming into a cruel grin. "I like your fire, Dean. Lets just say there's not a lot of spark around here. It's nice to have a change of pace. I'm Alastair, by the way.", Alastair hissed.

"Head honcho around these campgrounds. But maybe if you're good, I'll maybe even consider little Sammy's offer.

"Bite me", Dean spat at him. "Oh, Dean. I'm going to miss the life in you once its gone. It's a real treat." Alastair replied, jerking forward at a unpaced speed. Alistairs eyes turning to a grisly black.Alastair grabbed him, knocking the breath out of Dean's lungs. "Let's just see how much spunks left in you after you're done with your first day, Shall we?" Alastair exclaimed, dragging him out of his cell.

Dean jerked awake, breathing fast. Still in his cell. Still in Hell. He had been dreaming about his first day in hell, which felt like centuries ago. Or whatever version of time existed here. Time moved differently here. By hell time he had been here forty years. In earth years that was four months. His breathing slowly calmed to a crawl, and he layed back down on his cot. He knew that it was only a matter of time before Alistair came.

Dean closed his eyes hoping that when he opened them again he'd be home. He fell back asleep, and in what felt like a blink was awake again. "Wake up, Deano. Time to repay your sins", Alastair catcalled through the bars.

Dean rolled over onto his side, "Didn't you see the sign on the door? Please don't disturb". He heard the sound of the barred door sliding open and was suddenly thrown onto his feet. "I said, Rise and Shine. I'd think you'd know by now that your lip isn't doing you any favors with me", Alastair smiled. He walked Dean down the hallway, as the other broken souls looked on from their cells. They walked through countless hallways, and Dean had stopped trying to keep track of the turns. The hallways changed every day into random patterns.

They reached the chamber and walked inside. Inside was a sole bed, covered in blood, with straps for the arms and legs of the unfortunate smuck on the table. Next to the bed was a table, full of a variety of deadly instruments. Alastair pushed Dean down, stringing him up with hooks and claws. "Now Deano, remember our offer from yesterday. Pick up my blade, or I'll tear your skin off piece by piece." Alastair loomed over him, brushing his box cutter against Dean's cheek. Dean knew the routine, and Alistair did too. Dean turned his offer down everytime, but Alistair always stuck to the script. For him it was just foreplay, a little fun before it really got going.

 "Bite me", Dean snarled, the same thing he said every day. "Oh, I will."Alastair made the first slice, and Dean clenched his fist. You have to push through this, he thought to himself. Pain is just in the mind. He couldn't pass out just yet, not when Alistair just started. If he did Alistair would just wait for him to wake up again and prolong the torture for longer. Dean opened his eyes to Alistair standing over him, his hands covered in Dean's blood, boxcutter in hand.

"And just for that last comment, I'll skip all my other sessions today. Just for kicks and giggles.", Alastair said. Dean closed his eyes as Alistair's laughter echoed in his ears. Dean lost track of time, the pain fueling his head with nothing else. If he had to guess how long he was in there he would guess around twelve hours but who could really say? Every second was worse than the last.

Dean tried to move his head around, regretting as always looking at the ground around them. There was blood and skin on the floor surrounding them. Dean moved and every muscle, every nerve screamed. If only I could die, Dean thought. But you couldn't die in hell. Eventually your skin grew new, and you woke up to face the same monsters you had the day before.

Finally he heard Alastair put his box cutter down, giving out a bored sigh like Dean was some toy Alistair had grown bored of. Alistair snapped his fingers. The pain ebbed away, and Dean squirmed as his skin grew back. It crawled up his legs and over his body like a serpent up a tree. "One of these days Dean, you'll break." Alastair put his mouth by Dean's ear.

"Then, it'll be you up here. Slicing and dicing." Alastair teased, his breath on Dean's neck. "I'll die before I let that happen you piece of shit", Dean snarled back. Alastair laughed, "Take him back to his cell boys. I'll see you bright and early tomorrow Dean". Alastair grinned as Dean left the chamber. The guards walked Dean back to his room, pushing him in and shutting the door. His legs shook and gave out, and he fell to his knees.

The ground was cold and wet, and the hairs on Dean's arm stood on end. Dean rubbed his arms, thinking that he would prefer Hell to be as hot as, well, Hell rather than this. Cold and damp. It gave Dean the creeps.

Dean crawled forwards towards his mattress before collapsing entirely. Dean wished for someone, anyone to come rescue him. To save him. Even though he didn't deserve to be saved, he traded his place for Sam. He needed a miracle, Dean thought. Sammy, Where are you? Dean thought out into the dark. "Sammy", Dean cried, the tears finally coming. 

"Please if there's anyone out there. God, anyone. Please, Calling all angels. I need your help, please. I'm sorry, and I know I did alot of things wrong in my life. But I don't deserve this.", He collapsed onto his mattress, his tears running over and blocking his vision.

He blinked them away, and the air around him seemed to swirl and move, like it was alive. It shook with an energy, like it was physically anticipating for something. The air started to pulse, and a crack filled the cell with a great force that knocked his hair off his damp forehead by the sheer force of it. A figure appeared from the light, and as it walked forward Dean could make out who it finally was.

"Son of a bitch", Dean exclaimed, before he felt a smile move across his face since the first time in what felt like decades.

* * *

Dean's face drained of color, turning a sickly yellow. He took in a big breath and then another, but it was like he couldn't get enough air. His groans wheezing louder and louder. Dean raised one hand in the air, shaking.

"Cas, Help.. Help...". Cas moved quickly towards Dean, dropping down onto one knee next to the cot Dean was lying on. "Dean, What is it? What's happening?", Cas eyes were wide and scared, and Dean thought even when he was frightened, Cas was one of the most beautiful people he had ever seen.

"Cas... my inhaler", Dean finally managed to croak out. "My coat..t.t. pocket", Cas grabbed for Deans coat and checked all the pockets. Nothing. Cas looked over at Dean and saw the fear growing, along with the realization the inhaler was nowhere to be seen. With every breath his whole body shook, like the sole leaf left on an autumn tree. Cas moved back to Dean's side, feeling completely helpless.

Without his inhaler, What would happen to Dean? His heart was churning around like a mixer set on the highest setting, and was slowly tipping out of control.

Dean was taking in less and less air and his lips were taking on a blueish tint. Dean's eyelids were fluttering and he grasped his hand out to the side;

"Cas.." Dean murmured, grabbing Castiel's hand. Cas squeezed his hand just as he heard something on the stairs. Footsteps. Alastair must of heard the noise Dean was making.

"Shh.. Dean. It's going to be okay baby. Just breath with me. In and out", Cas found himself saying. He didn't know where the words came from, especially the pet name. Cas didn't have time to think about it at the moment, but he could feel the fire in his cheeks once the words were said.

Dean nodded his head, trying to match Castiel's even breathing, not even perturbed by Cas's name for him, like Cas had been saying it to him for years.

Cas looked over his shoulder back towards the door, frantically trying to hear what was happening outside. He didn't want Dean to notice Alistairs impending footsteps, it would just frighten him more. Cas looked back at Dean, forcing a smile back onto his face.

"Match my breathing, Dean. It's going to be okay" Cas murmured, his free hand stroking Dean's face. Dean's breathing slowly started to slow, and his breathing started to quiet. Cas heard creaks outside their room, and he could just picture Alastair outside the door, listening.. waiting.

Time seemed to freeze, and the walls started to close in around Cas. He looked back at Dean, and his vision tunnelled only on him. He felt his heart beating away in chest, but now it wasn't fear he felt. The footsteps started to recede, and he heard the telltale noises of Alastair going back up the steps.

He left out a breath of air he didn't seem to know he was holding, and looked back at Dean. Dean was still holding his hand, and his eyes were half opened half closed. He looked exhausted, but he opened his eyes some when Cas put his attention back on him.

"Thanks", was all Dean said to him. Cas was taken by surprise. When was the last time anyone in here had thanked him? "Don't start thanking me yet, Dean. Were still trapped here. Still in danger." Cas replied to him.

He looked down at Dean and smiled, feeling like he hadn't felt in a while. A flush of light filled his body, and he felt it. His grace. Dormant so long, he had forgotten what little grace he had left. Castiel felt his eyes start to shine, and looked away. He felt the grace drain back away, and he was afraid to look back at Dean. Had he seen? Fear grabbed a hold of him, and he was afraid he would lose Dean, already.

He looked back down at Dean, afraid of the expression he would find there. Humans didn't take kindly to angels, most blaming them for the apocalypse that destroyed their home. They should blame us, he thought. But all he saw on Dean's face was wonderment.

Dean looked at him and half smiled, "You know something? When I was little my mother used to tell me before she put me to bed every night that angels were watching over me. It looks like she was right after all.", Dean said. His eyes crinkled at the corner, before slowly closing. Cas felt his heart swell, and a smile formed on his face once again. Relief flooded through him, and he squeezed Dean's hand tightly.

"You should get some sleep, Dean. Theres a storm coming, and I feel like were right in the middle of it", Cas said.

"My brother..", Dean started but Cas cut him off before he could start. "We'll find him, but now you should rest.", Cas stated, authoritatively. Dean's eyes fluttered once again, "Alright, fine". He huffed out, grudgingly.

"You take first watch then, Cas.", Dean yawned turning onto his side. 

"Cas?", Cas asked him. "Well, Castiel's quite a mouthful. So yeah, Cas. Why do you not like it?", Dean rolled back towards Cas. "No.. I love it. I've just really never had a nickname before", Cas told him.  Dean smirked, "Well, your welcome". Dean rolled back towards the wall. 

Balthazar shined in Castiel's memory, all the mornings he had rolled over to be awaken to Balthazar saying, "Morning, Cassie". Cas swallowed, a sudden lump in his throat. Cas looked away before Dean could notice. 

"Don't worry, I'll watch over you", Cas said, standing up and stretching his back. Dean snorted, "Yeah, you do that. Be my guest". Before long Dean was fast asleep, and Cas realized he never had a chance to ask him about Alastair, or his brother. Cas decided it could wait till morning, he didn't want Dean to have another asthma attack. Dean had gone through enough for today. Cas found himself looking back up at the fan in the ceiling, and he realized for once it was absolutely silent.

He found a spot on the ground and made himself comfortable. Something told Cas though that he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight. Cas looked at Dean and he felt his grace spark in his fingers, lighting up the room in a brief shadow. And for the first time in forever, Cas started to believe again.


	3. Chapter 3

Raphael spoke then, his words pounding into Castiel's head like nails, "Well, Well, Well. The mighty Castiel. You don't look so mighty now." Raphael smirked then, and the other angels in the rooms snickered. Castiel felt his blood heat, and he held his tongue against the words bubbling in his mouth. He felt Samandriel tense beside him, and he could feel his fear. Anna's eyes glowed, hatred pooling in her eyes. Balthazar eyes flashed, but beside that he gave nothing away. Raphael stood up then, towering above them. 

"This is it, Castiel. This is all thats left of your pitiful army.", Raphael gestured with his hands at the angels kneeling beside him. "I warned you and Michael at the beginning, I would have my victory. And now the tale has come full circle, hasn't it?", Raphael smiled then, serene as a bull shark on the prowl.

"Now, you'll burn. You have been found guilty of treason against me, against Heaven. Your grace will be stripped from you, and then you will fall towards Earth. And you'll die.", Raphael spoke so calmly, his words solid and sound. 

"Oh, how unfortunate. I was hoping I would get to stick around and party with you and Lucifer after the big bang.", Balthazar spoke then, and his eyes burned bright. His words oozed sarcasm, and he gave off the air of dissidence. It happened so fast then, that Castiel couldn't even react. Raphael nodded then, at Uriel standing beside them.

Uriel moved forward, and grabbed Balthazar. Uriel slammed his fists into Balthazars face, and blood oozed from Balthazar's nose and mouth. Uriel hit him again, and again. Each time harder and worse than the last. Balthazar's head drooped, blood rolling down his face. His body felt cold and numb, and he watched his childhood friend get the life knocked out of him. He felt Anna struggle against the guards beside her, and he could feel Samandriel shaking next to him.

Castiel didn't know when he had started to stand, but all of a sudden he was up, pushing away the guards who tried to contain him. 

"STOP!", Castiel said, his words loud and harsh. The room silenced, and he looked at Balthazar before him. Uriel was holding him up, and blood covered his suit, and Balthazars face was a mask of blood and pain. Balthazar looked at him then, with a longing that screamed of pain, sorrow, and regret. Castiel's hand shook, with rage, and fear. He looked towards Raphael, who was watching everything calmly, an amused expression on his face. 

"Let them go, Raphael. They mean nothing to you. None of my garrison did. Take me instead of them, they do not deserve anything that will be done to them.", Castiel's words were loud in the room, and commanding. It boomed with confidence of a leader, of a righteous man.

"Your right, Castiel. They don't mean anything to me. But they do mean something to you.", Raphael spoke nonchalantly, gazing down at his hands in a non-concerned way.

He looked back up at Castiel, "I saved your favorites for last, Castiel. Your compass, your guide. A sister you never had.", Raphael's gaze turned to Anna, eyeing her.

"Your charge, the young angel.", Raphael glanced towards Samandriel.

"And last but not least, your best friend. But he's more than that isn't he Castiel?", Castiel felt his face burn, all the angels eyes on his. Raphael's face was cruel, a feral smile on his face,

"What an interesting relationship you two have. One could almost say, romantic.", The last word dropped from Raphael's mouth like a pin, echoing through the room. Castiel looked then, towards Balthazar. He hoped his expression wasn't so obvious on his face, the emotions running through him then.

Balthazar looked at him, and in that moment he felt his heart beat out of control, his love for Balthazar erasing the fear inside him. Balthazar's eyes were solid, but sad. In them, Castiel saw everything then been through, all they had seen together. He saw those late nights, during the angelic wars. He saw the nights he had told all his other soldiers and lieutenants to go home, that he and Balthazar had strategies to discuss for the upcoming war against Raphael.

He saw the stolen kisses, the early mornings when he woke to Balthazar snoozing beside him. He felt in that moment Balthazar's skin beneath his own, his face in his hand, his lips on his. He felt it all, all the love, the pain.

Castiel looked back towards Raphael, the utter disgust on Raphael's face.

"Let him go, Raphael. I was the one in charge of the garrison, punish me. Take me. Leave them be.", Castiel felt his voice waver, and he didn't dare look at Balthazar, at Anna and Samandriel.

"Oh, Castiel. You always were so naive on the ways of war.", Raphael nodded then towards Uriel. Uriel pulled in one quick motion an angel blade from his pocket, stabbing forward into Balthazar's midsection. Castiel felt himself scream, and lunge forward, his eyes meeting Balthazar's one last time. Balthazar looked at him, and he felt in his mind, Balthazar's caress, and his words came through the angel radio, directed only towards him, 

 _" I love you, Cassie. I always will."._ Castiel felt his heart burst in his chest, and he pushed away from the guards and ran forward to Balthazar, where his body was slumping towards the floor. Uriel took a step back, wiping his blade on his coat, satisfied. Balthazar was kneeling then, his mouth gurgling. Castiel ran forward, grabbing him in his arms. He felt his hand on his face, his other grabbing Balthazar's side to keep him up. 

"Hey, Hey. You're going to be alright. Were going to get through this. You and me, just like old times.", Castiel felt his eyes water then, the tears leaking out through the sides of his eyes, like tiny traitors, giving away his weakness. Balthazar looked at him then, meeting Castiel's gaze. In it, he saw everything he had ever wanted, and watched as it slipped away. The light eeked out, and Balthazars body was limp in his arms.

Castiel felt himself shake, from rage or grief, or maybe a combination. Behind him he could hear Anna's sobs, could feel Samandriel's fear. Castiel looked then, back up at Rapheal. Raphael looked at him then, like a cat with a mouse in its paws. Raphael turned towards Uriel,

"Finish Him." Uriel nodded and moved forward to Castiel. In one movement he had yanked Castiel up, and reached one hand towards his chest. Two angels came forward and held on to Castiel's outstretched arms, while Uriel's hand moved around inside him, his grace being torn. 

Over Uriel's shoulders, he saw Samandriel then and Anna. Anna nodded at him then, and he knew whatever happened that she would take care of Samandriel. That she would take care of their garrison. His gaze flicked towards Samandriel, and he nodded once towards the boy. He was proud of him, of them, and Samandriel nodded back at him, his eyes proud and steady.

Castiel let out a scream, as Uriel's hand found his grace, and started to pull. He saw his grace pouring out of him, before him. It was in Uriel's hand, he was pulling it into a ball of white, liquid light in front of them. He tugged and pulled, like a magician pulling a magical, never ending handkerchief out of his sleeve. It was pure and utter agony, and Castiel felt his screams louden, reaching a whole new level of pain. 

Castiel's eyes shone obsidian blue, and they started to fade in color, and shine. Uriel pulled the last few rays of light out into his hands, capping it into a tiny bottle, capping it tightly. Castiel then felt himself start to shift and fall, felt the grace absence, rocking him and destroying him. Raphael looked at him then, and Castiel started to feel himself sink. Through the ground beneath his feet, through heaven.

"Goodbye, Castiel.", Raphael stated, his smile radiant.

Castiel started sinking through the ground, his head going under, the room flashing before his eyes. It was darkness, and Castiel felt himself gaining speed, falling towards an unwelcome Earth. He felt his trenchcoat flapping out behind him, the wind and pain deafening in his ears. Below him he saw Earth, torn and destroyed, growing slowly faster towards him.

He closed his eyes for impact, his friends flashing quickly before his eyes. Anna, Samandriel. Michael. Hester. Ezekiel. He saw Balthazar last then, felt his smile, his warmth, behind his eyes. He was the last thing Castiel saw before impact, his body slamming into the Earth at a million miles per second, his body and soul crunching into the ground.

His mouth opened and he let out a hideous, inhuman scream. His body shaking with pain, his leftover grace desperately trying to keep him alive. In his ears he heard Raphael, whispering in triumph,

"Welcome to Earth Castiel. And welcome to being Human."

* * *

 As the first rays of sunlight eeked into the room from the fan above, Dean started to open his eyes. Cas lay at his feet next to him, a serene expression on his usually worried face. He got up from the bed quietly, hoping not to wake Cas as he did so. In the daylight he recognized the room, more so than he had the night before.

This was Bobby's house. Or it had been. His heart constricted in his chest. Whatever hope he and Sam had of finding Bobby alive vanished. _Sam._ Dean felt his pulse speed up, beating away like a drum in his ears.

He had to assume Sam was safe, Sam had been back at their camp when he'd been taken.  _Stupid._ Dean could kick himself for the mess he'd gotten them into. In the light of day their situation was ten times worse than it had been when he had come in last night slightly concussed and definitely out of it. What did Sam think had happened to him?

Worry landed on Dean's chest and constricted like a drum. He had to get back to Sammy, he couldn't lose him now, right when he had gotten him back. Dean had only been out of Hell a month, He couldn't even think that Sam was in trouble, he had to focus on this, on escape.

 _"Sammy",_ Dean thought. Sam's face bloomed in his vision, standing there huddled against the wind, an empty valley surrounding them. His ears filled with the sounds of his own ragged breathing, his eyes squinted up against the harsh daylight. And above him, Sam, a silhouette against the sun.

Dean cast out a sigh, rubbing the corners of his eyes to clear away the tears growing there. Dean turned around to where Cas was still sleeping. Dean smiled, at the way Cas was asleep sitting up, his hair all ruffled with bags beneath his eyes. He was beautiful, even asleep. He looked like something out of a dream, or a movie. Dean was almost afraid he would blink, and Cas would disappear from in front of him, like some kind of mirage or illusion.

Almost as if he could sense Dean looking at him, and thinking about him, Cas's eyes started to flutter. He opened his eyes sleepily, rubbing the grit out of his eyes. He looked up to see Dean watching him, and smiled. Dean felt his face flush immediately, caught in the act of blinding staring at him. Dean thought of the night before, his asthma attack. The way Cas had held his hand, touched his face. Called him baby. This is definitely not helping, Dean thought. The memories of the night before just made him blush ten times harder. 

"Great job of looking over me, Cas. Stellar", He said to him, breaking tension a laugh. Cas's face broke into a grin, "I might have fallen asleep at some point", he said laughing at Dean's eye roll. The floorboards above them squealed and creak, caking them in the shadow of the elephant in the room, towering above their heads. Cas's face sobered up, and he gave Dean a small, reassuring smile, 

"I'm glad to see you on your feet. You were pretty out of it when you came in last night.", Cas said, looking Dean up and down like he was expecting him to collapse any second. "Yea, I'm fine. Though now that its day time, I'm starting to think our situation isn't as great as it was last night.", Dean replied, locking eyes on Cas. 

"I'm afraid not", Cas said. He started to get up, grimacing as he went. Sleeping on the ground didn't do him any favors, and Dean couldn't help his eyes as they moved over Cas's body as he stretched.

"As fun as it is, being locked in here with you, I can't stay here. I need to get back to my friends. My brother.", Dean tore his eyes away from Cas's body and moved his eyes back on Cas's, Sammy's face in his mind.

"Then I'll help you.", Cas replied, simply.

"And why would you help me?", Dean stated, bewilderment on his face. Since his jailbreak from Hell, with the apocalypse and all, people hadn't been exactly friendly.

 "You don't have to do this, Cas. This isn't your fight.", Dean replied back, his eyes looking above them, towards the monster above. Cas followed his eyes up, his expression guarded as he replied,

"Because. I owe it to you. I owe it to humanity. For what we've done to this world." Cas said, cutting off Dean's rebuttal. "I havent seen any of the destruction, but I've heard. The other angels, I can still hear them. Every sacrifice, each time one of them kills. Each time one of them is killed. Each time they burn themselves out, their grace depleting. I hear their screams, their agony" Cas face twisted, in anger or sadness it was hard to tell, or maybe a mixture of both.

Dean felt his heart go out to him, his urge to comfort him. His anger at the angels, at all of them. For what they did to Earth. And for what they did to each other, to the angels like Cas sitting right in front of him.

"I'm sorry about your friends. The other angels. But we have to get out of here. My brother needs me, I can't lose him again..." Dean choked out. Cas's eyes scrunched in the corners, perplexed. 

"Lose him again?" Cas asked back to Dean. "Where you two separated somehow before this?" Cas asked him. Dean laughed, blinking quickly to clear his tears, but it had none of the joy and happiness it had in it when he had laughed before. "Yea.. you could say that", Dean said back to him, a smile at the corner of his mouth, rubbing his hand through his hair. 

"Lets just say where I was before wasn't as bad as where we are now", Dean said, with a broken smile. "Believe me before, the place I was at, It was a real Hell. Literally." Dean said, finishing his sentence with a gulp. Emotions flashed by Cas face, "Dean," Cas started, stepping forward, as if... "What did you do?", Cas asked him, knowing on his face.

 "I sold my soul, for my brother's life.", Dean answered, nonchalantly. "They give me a year, and the rest you know.. is history", Dean said, his eyes fixed on something just out of reach. "Not that I'm not happy you're here, Dean.", Cas started to say, his eyes on Dean,

"But how are you here?". Cas asked, an earnest expression of curiosity and bewilderment showed on his face.

"Lets just say I have friends in really high places".

* * *

" _DEAN",_ Sam jerked awake, sitting straight up in his sleeping bag. He was breathing hard, his breath sending trails of fog in front of him. He was coated in sweat, and he could feel his bangs sticking to his head, could feel the beads pooling across his back and chest. He felt a groan from next to him, and a figure rolling over in the dark.

"Honestly, I'm trying not to be a total dick right now, but can you calm down? It's like four in the fucking morning.", the figure next to him said.

Sam pulled himself out of his sleeping bag, and grabbed the lantern near his feet. He switched the light on, casting the tent in light.

"Jesus", the figure said, putting his hand up to cover his eyes. The light coated the figure, a guy with medium length brown hair. His bangs were usually combed up over his forehead, and meticulously combed. But at the moment his hair was crumbled, with bits of his bangs sticking up in different directions. Even though Sam couldn't see them, he felt his eyes on him. Hazel brown, with flecks of gold in them. 

"Gabe, what time is it?", Sam asked him, worriedly. Gabriel rolled his eyes, grudgingly checking his watch. "It's 3:37, and I'm not suppose to be up for another... oh I don't know... four hours?", Gabe replied back to him, his eyes blinking rapidly in annoyance.

"Dean should of been back by now. He was supposed to wake me at 3 for my shift", Sam's hands were shaking and he knew that there was something wrong, something not right. Sam's lip trembled, and he bit down on them, hard enough to draw blood. He knew he shouldn't of let Dean take first watch. But he and Gabe had been so tired, they hadn't even argued with him. Sam cursed in his head, blaming himself for whatever mess they were in now.

The group had made camp a couple of hours ago, around ten or eleven. They were close to Sioux Falls, but they had wanted to scout out Bobby's house before they went. Better safe then sorry. Those were words to live by, and it kept you safe during the apocalypse. Better safe than sorry, than hurt and dead. 

As soon as Dean was out of Hell, and they had spent a few days to recover, they had decided on going to Bobby's. It was Dean's idea to go to Bobby's, saying that he had the arsenal and resources to get them safe. Unnoted was the fact that Bobby was like a father to Dean, and he hadn't seen him since he had been sent to Hell. Bobby's wasn't that far from where they were at the time, in Pontiac, Illinois. They had made slow and steady progress to Sioux Falls, fighting and scavenging along the way.

When they finished setting up camp, Dean had insisted on taking first watch, saying that he didn't sleep well anyways, might as well stay awake and be useful. That was a couple of hours ago, and both Gabe and Sam had fallen asleep soon after. Gabriel rubbed his eyes, tiredly. His eyebrows were scrunched and he tried his best not to look too worried.

"He's probably just asleep on watch, or passed out. More likely the latter.", Gabriel responded, pushing his way out of his sleeping bag. "Relax, Sam. Let's go check it out if your worried, Okay?", He grabbed his flashlight by his feet and headed toward the tent's exit. Sammy followed out after him. Gabriel's flashlight shown on the world around them, pitching it in a bright spotlight.

The air was ashy and smokey, and the flashlight made it seem as if they were standing in a fog. Except this fog was made of war and destruction, ash and death. You could hear the distant crackle of fire in the distance, trees and structures collapsing under the heavy weight of the world they now lived in.

The grass beneath their feet was brown and decayed, and the limited trees around them were brown and drooping, leafless. Fissures and cracks appeared in the ground all around them, like the world had frosted over, and come spring, it had all started to crack and melt. Sammy breathed in a smoky breath, coughing on the exhale.

 "Easy there, partner. Maybe you should think about getting an inhaler like Dean", Gabriel said to Sammy, looking over his shoulder. Sammy grimaced back at him, too worried to react to Gabriel's usually joking banter.

Up ahead, Sam and Gabriel could see the spot Dean was suppose to be watching from. It was on the perimeter of their camp, where Dean's bag was. From the spot Dean had been watching from, he had a view through the stubby trees of the road in front of them going into town. Sammy saw Dean's bag, it was knocked over and spilled, like he had tripped over it in a hurry. A pack of Coors Crafted, was spilled on the ground. It had broken, with pieces of glass surrounding it like someone had stepped on it. 

Sam sniffed in the air, his face paling. Sulfur. Demons? Gabriel squatted on the ground near his bag and bottle, "Well, obviously something bad went down. Dean would never waste his favorite beer". Sam felt his patience wearing thin, and he felt himself laughing out, in frustration and fear,

"Is this funny to you Gabe? My brothers missing! What the fuck are we going to do?". Gabe's face paled at Sammy's reaction,

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry. That was a dick thing to say. We'll find him." Gabriel walked forward, putting his hand reassuringly on Sammy's shoulder. Sam nodded, his face worried.

"We should check closer to the road, maybe Dean saw something.", Gabriel turned back around and they walked a little ways forward, following the path that went back towards the road.

They walked by the Impala, where Dean had stashed it, covering it in a camouflage tarp and some branches they had found. They walked on a little further, Sam shivering in the chill. He looked up at the war torn sky, praying, that somewhere Dean was alive and safe. Sam ran into Gabe, too busy looking up to realize he had stopped.

Gabriel reached out and grabbed Sammy, putting a protective hand in front of him to stop him from walking forward. There were two bodies lying twisted in front of them, blood pooling out of stab marks on their stomachs. Sam looked around frantically, but Dean wasn't anywhere. There was more blood spatter, like someone had been wounded. 

"This doesn't look like just some random croats coming through, or a random demon attack either. This looks planned, meticulous.", Gabriel said to Sammy. 

"Dean must of saw them coming on the road, he must of put up a fight.", Sammy pointed to the bodies before them.

Gabriel walked up to them and sniffed, making afoul face.

"Sulfur. It looks like Dean took them down with the knife before they got the jump on him", Gabe said to Sam. They walked past the bodies, the smell of sulfur filling their noses. They reached the road, and Sam felt his world sway around him.

Painted on the road in front of them was the symbol of the Morning Star. It was the symbol Hell's forces had taken when they had fought back against Heaven.It was painted in Red, in either paint or someones blood.

Sam just stood there, cold. His legs wouldn't move forward, and he felt like he was frozen, moving in slow motion. He saw Gabriel walk forward slowly towards the middle of the star.

There was something lying there in the center of it. Gabriel reached down slowly, and picked up the object. Gabriel turned back towards Sam, holding the item up in his hand.

It was a business card. In bold letters across the card Sam could make out the words "Singer's Salvage Yard".

* * *

_*Sam traveled to Florida, to the Mystery Spot, after learning about a disappearance of a man who dedicated his life to debunking and ruining strange tourist attractions*_

"Bring him back.", Sam was on his knees, bartering for Dean's life. The trickster stood in front of him, a familiar smile on his face.

"Dean is gone. He's doing the hellfire rumba downstairs as we speak", Sam's eyes watered, and his mouth trembled. He looked tired, worn down. Beaten. Dean had been in Hell for four months. For miserable months. Despair threatened to overwhelm him, drown him. Sam took a big gulp of air, trying to focus on the task before him.

"He's my brother. Please", Sam's eyes started to prickle at the corners, a few tears leaking out onto his face. "How many times do I need to say it?", The trickster rolled his eyes, raising his eyebrows at Sam before him.

"No means no, Sam. Get up. Move on.", The trickster didn't feel bad for Sam, just embarrassed for him. Could this kid not get it through his head? He watched as Sam started to get up from the ground, wiping the tears away from his face,

"Your really set on not helping me, huh?", Sam was standing up now, wiping the tears from his face, his expression unreadable. The trickster sighed, mentally preparing himself for whatever emotion this ape expressed next, "Like I said, Dean's gone and he isn't coming back". Sam's expression changed in a flash. Sam narrowed his eyes at the trickster, a cool smile on his face.

"We'll see about that", Sam threw down a match on the ground in front of him.

As soon as the match hit the ground it went up in a flash, a ring of fire appearing in a circle around the tricksters feet.

"You're no trickster. Your an angel.", Sam's smile grew on his face as he watched the angels expression twist. Sam felt satisfaction boil up in his gut at the tricksters expression, his unmasked expression of shock. _Dean, I'm coming for you, hold on._ The trickster stood before him, speechless at the flames around his feet.

"Okay, very funny. I'm an angel. Yea right.", the angel replied, scoffing at Sam. His voice wavered a little, giving away any deceit he was trying to pull.

"Yea well if you aren't, then just walk through the holy fire.", Sam looked on, as the angel twisted in the circle, eyeing it. He took a step forward, wincing at the heat. He looked back at Sam, the expression of success masking Sam's face.

"Fine. Whatever. You got me! The gigs up", The angel laughed, humorlessly.There was no joy, no mirth in his gaze. 

"So, I'm an angel. Whoop de fucking doo. Call the press", The angel snarled, nastily. He looked Sam up and down, confrontationally. His look gave Sam the impression that if he could of smitted Sam just now, he wouldn't have thought twice about it.

"How'd you know? Where did I slip up?", His face transitioned from anger to something like irritated exhaustion. For the first time he didn't look ageless, he looked... old. Mortal. A chip in the steel armor. The angel looked Sam, up and down, a wary expression on his face.

"You didn't", Sam said. "The past four months, I've tried everything I could to get Dean back. And when I started running out of options I got desperate", Sam shrugged his shoulders, continuing,

"I ended up going up to my Dad's old storage locker in New York. Thats where I found this." In a fluid motion, a blade appeared in Sam's hand. It was long and thin, silver. It had no decorations or accessories to recognize it by, but the angel recognized it immediately.  

"Recognize it?", Sam catcalled to the man before him. He moved the weapon around in his hand, enjoying the torment he was bestowing on this angel. This trickster. This monster.

"An angel blade", Any color in the angels face drained, his eyes moving with the blade in Sam's hand.

"And This". In Sam's hand was a bunch of papers, clipped together.

"It's some pages from my dads journal. But you already know that, don't you?", Sam looked at the angel before him coldly, his grip so tight on the papers that he felt the it slice his hand in places.

"Gabriel.", Sam ended with that single word, and the angel in front of him took a step back, rocking like a leaf in the wind.

Gabriel just stared at him, his expression unreadable, his eyes storms.

"I know everything. I know about you, and my Dad. Ever since I realized what you really were, I've been looking for you. As soon as I heard about this place, and the man's disappearance, I knew I had to come. I knew you'd be here.", Sam crumpled the papers in his hand, twisting it.

"I knew you would help me just like how John helped you.", Gabriel blinked, shock on his face. 

"Yea, I know all about that. How you got into a lick of trouble back in the day. Dad found you nearly dead in a demon nest. He saved your life, not knowing at the time that you weren't just a helpless human, but a runaway angel." Gabriel's stoic gaze flickered, chipping at Sam's words.

"To regain your strength, you made a deal. You would owe John and his family a favor when they called on you, and that you would always look out for the Winchesters.", At those words, Sam laughed, a laugh that sounded like nothing but anger, and despair.

 "And in return, he gave you part of his soul. To help you regain the missing part of your grace." Gabriel looked away, his eyes lightning storms. Gabriel spun on his heels, dizzy.

"Did I leave anything out, Gabriel?". Sam stared at him, his eyes drilling holes into the man standing before him.

"What do you want, Sam?", Gabriel spoke, for the first time since Sam had revealed his identity. His voice sounded heavy, tired.

"You know what I want", Sam answered, coolly.

"You owe us.", Sam's hand tightened around the angel blade, Gabriel's eyes shifting between Sam and the blade in his hand.

"You're coming with me, to Pontiac, Illinois.", Sam answered, his voice raw, full of emotion. "Because you're going to help me get Dean out of Hell."

* * *

 


	4. Chapter 4

"SEIZE THEM!", Raphael commanded out towards his army, and they obeyed. Anna was already moving as Raphael spoke, moving towards Michael before he even hit the ground. The crowd was moving and surging around the front of the room where Raphael stood, a twisting mass of uncertainty. People were restraining against his people, and some were joining the fight.

Angels were moving forward grabbing at Raphael and his captains, and Raphael shook them off with a look of disgust.

"Finish them.", Raphael said with a nod to Uriel, who smiled with pleasure.

"Find Castiel. I want the rest of that garrison destroyed.", As Raphael spoke he looked towards where Anna had paused in the crowd, eavesdropping on their conversation. She dodged out of Raphael's vision more determined than ever to reach Michael. Michael had only fell a few mere minutes ago, and Anna knew that if he was still alive there wouldn't be much time left.

Anna pushed through the rest of the way, dodging enemies and friends alike. Finally she reached where Michael had fallen, his body twisted in an horrid position. He looked even more like an angel in that moment, with his golden blonde hair, and moody green eyes.

His head was lulled to the side, and he was lying on his back. His one arm lay helplessly at his side, his other arm folded serenely over his stomach. Blood dripped from his mouth, and around them on the ground the ichor, the blood of the angels, oozed around him in a puddle like pooled sap from a tree.

Anna kneeled gently down by his side, holding his hand in hers, gently. Michael's eyes fluttered, and he took a sudden, gasping breath that seemed like just the effort of it was painful. His green eyes opened, looking around the room in a haze, before meeting Anna's eyes. He coughed then, splattering blood on his shirt.

"Anna..", He murmured, smiling, "You came back for me.". Anna felt tears pooling in her eyes, and blinked them away rapidly.

"Of course, Michael. When have I ever left you?", She smiled down at him through her tears.

"I guess you would call this a tragedy from the human perspective. But I don't know, maybe the human perspective's limited", Michael said, squeezing her hand through his next coughing fit, his breaths coming in shaky gasps.

"Michael-", Anna began, but Michael stopped her, his voice intertwining with hers, "Anna, theres not much time.". Michael coughed again, more violently than before. "I'm here, Michael. It'll be okay, We'll help you get through this. Castiel-", Michael interrupted her mid-sentence, squeezing her hand for emphasis,

"You have to pass this on to Castiel for me, and protect it with your life, Anna.", Anna nodded down at him vigorously, her tears finally winning out against her strength, rolling down her face in heavy pools.

"Theres an old prophecy. That our Father put in place in case something like this ever happened. He spoke of two boys, one held the key to Heaven, and one held the key to Hell.", Michael took one more shallow breath then, and Anna could see his energy fading, his soul departing. He motioned her closer, and she leaned in till his mouth was right next to her ear.

"Winchesters-", He coughed again, once more, "Find them, Anna. They hold the our world in their hands. Sam and Dean Winche-" She pulled her head back, his last words dying on his lips. His lips stopped mid sentence, his eyes moving up towards the corner of his vision. He gave out one final winded breath, his torso shuttering with exertion. His lips closed with his last breath, before finally falling still.

Michael's head rolled back to one side, his hand going limp in hers. She cried out then, her tears clouding over her eyes. She dropped Michael's hand, getting to her feet woozily, purpose flooding through her veins. She wiped the tears out of her eyes, pushing away any emotions she was feeling. She would honor Michael's last request, his last mission, with her life.

She focused her vision back on her surroundings, and saw Raphael's soldiers moving towards her. She let them come forward, cooly looking them over as they surrounded her. As they froze in place ready to strike against her she slid her angel blade out of her pocket into her open palm. In a split second, Anna moved forward stabbing the soldier directly in front of her.

Quickly, she yanked the blade back out, spinning around, using the momentum to her advantage. She raised her arm, slashing downward at the soldier to her right advancing towards her. Before she could pull her blade from the second soldiers body, the third one was closing in on her. The soldier grabbed for her shoulder, as she grasped blindly behind her for the blade.

The soldier's fist connected with her face, and she stumbled a little to the side. This time her hand felt the blade on the fallen angels torso, and as the soldier reared again before her, she kicked out at him with her left leg, bringing him to his knees. Anna heard the bone in his leg give, and as he stumbled before her she grabbed the back of his head by his hair.

She yanked his head back, so he looked up at her face. She stared into the seraph's eyes, mercilessly, as she drove the blade into his neck. She didn't look away as his eyes lit up, his grace burning away from his body. The light lit up the area around her, and as the flash died down, saw Uriel and his trained mercenaries standing nearby.

She looked past Uriel, to his mercenaries, and saw Castiel's unconscious body being held up in their arms. Around them, she saw the rest of her garrison fighting, and the few people left caught in the crossfire were going down quickly.

She saw Samandriel, fallen, on his knees, surrounded by rebel forces. She moved her gaze across the room, spotting Balthazar sparring with more seraphs. She moved her gaze back towards Uriel in front of her, meeting his gaze. Uriel spoke then, his smile a menacing grimace,

"Get Her."

* * *

It was quiet after Dean told Cas everything that had happened. The pipes overhead leaked, and water dripped through the room, rolling down the walls.

Dean sat down on the cot, looking down at his hands, nervously rubbing them together. He didn't dare look up at Cas, he didn't know what Cas would think of him after all this. Castiel had been an angel of course, how would he react to someone who had been sent to Hell?

  _He's probably disgusted by me_ , Dean thought, closing his eyes against the emotions beating against his eyelids.

The whole time Dean had told his story, Cas had stayed silent. When Dean got to the part about Alastair, Cas had turned away, his broken back screaming at Dean like an accusation. Cas stood still, swaying gently on his feet. Dean couldn't see, but Cas's hands were shaking.

The images of Dean in Hell, had struck a chord with Cas. It made him physical sick, and... angry. He had turned away, hoping Dean wouldn't be able to see the weakness on his face. Finally, Dean looked up from his hands, the silence smothering him.

"Cas?", Dean asked quietly, softly.

"I understand if you don't want anything to do with me. You probably think I'm some kind of... unholy abomination.", Dean's voice wavered, and he swallowed the growing lump in his throat. Dean looked back down again, rubbing the escaping tears with his hands quickly. Castiel turned around at Dean's words, his expression shocked.

"Dean... I don't think anything like that.", Castiel said back to him, quietly. Cas moved forward, controlled by some instinct beyond his control, moving to kneel in front of Dean. Cas put a comforting hand on his knee, looking up at him. Dean looked away, not looking Cas in the eyes, his eyes misty with tears.

"I think you're the bravest man I've ever met, Dean. I could never think anything less than that, Dean.", Dean nodded at Cas's words, finally, shyly, moving his eyes to meet Cas's. Cas smiled then, heat running through his body. Dean smiled back at him, moving his hand forward to touch Cas's jaw line slowly, tenderly. Cas closed his eyes, gasping at the feeling inside him. Dean moved his other hand to Cas's face, holding Cas's head in his hands.

Dean swallowed, fear rushing through him. Dean scoffed at himself,  _Since when was Dean Winchester afraid of anything?_  But Dean knew, knew it was because of how he felt about Cas. This feeling running through him, since the moment they met. Dean took a breath, pushing past his worries. Dean moved his head forward, moving towards Cas.

Cas's hands were shaking on Dean's knees, his eyes fluttering behind closed eyelids. Cas let out a breath, a whoosh of air in Dean's face. Their faces were almost level with each other, and Dean moved his mouth forward to meet Cas's. Their lips collided, smashing together with an intensity Cas didn't know was possible. Their mouths moved against each other, Cas feeling Dean's tongue in his mouth. Cas let out a moan, he couldn't help himself.

Cas thought that he had understood everything about humanity, felt and understood every emotion on Earth since his fall. But this, this was something new. Cas had known he had loved Balthazar, but even when they were together, it never felt anything like this. Maybe it was his humanity, opening him up to a whole new scale of feeling.

The thought of Balthazar at that moment made his eyes burn, and Cas pushed harder against Dean, trying to push his memories out of his mind. Their mouths moved faster, and Dean grabbed blindly out at Cas's body, trying to pull him up onto the cot with him. Cas stumbled up and forward, landing onto the cot next to Dean, their mouths never separating.

Cas felt his whole body tingling, a slow thrill that started in his fingers and toes and moved up through his body at an alarming pace. The feeling sped up as it moved, advancing forward over him like a wave of lightning strikes. Dean felt the electricity, felt it move through Cas into him, his eyebrows scrunching at the feeling. Dean had his hands still on Cas's face, and Cas had moved his hands onto Dean's hips when he had moved onto the cot, and Dean felt the static shock in his fingertips.

Dean cracked one eye open at Cas, as the static feeling intensified. Dean opened his other eye in shock, his eyes blinking rapidly at what he was seeing. Cas was... glowing. There was a white glow surrounding Cas's body, a white heat, like Gabriel's when he had appeared in Dean's cell in Hell.

Dean let out involuntary gasp, pulling back away from Cas in awe. Cas's face scrunched in confusion, his hands groping out blindly at Dean.

Cas opened his eyes, and they were shining, that obsidian bright blue. They glowed brighter every second, glowing whiter with Cas's aura.

Dean felt his mouth gape, and Cas blinked, finally realizing what was going on around them. Cas's eyes widened in shock, looking down at his fingers with confusion. Dean blinked his eyes hurting against the brightness Cas was reaching.

Dean saw in the shadows behind him, the shadow of Wings, a faint echo, the wings featherless and dull. Dean blinked, and when he tried to look again it was too bright, and Dean had to look away, covering his eyes, crying out softly against the brightness.

Cas heard Dean's cry like a physical slap, and he snatched his hands away from Dean's, stumbling blindly across the room, running into the dark corners surrounding them. Cas pushed himself into the shadow, grasping at the cold wall, trying to gain control of himself. Cas felt his lungs screaming in his chest, and he let out a faint gasp, scratching at that cell wall for balance, for an anchor.

Cas started falling towards the ground, his legs giving out under him with a cry. He hit the ground on all fours, lying on his hands and knees like a sick dog. The brightness started to recede then, shrinking back into the shadows at a syrupy pace. Cas felt nauseas, and feverish, and he started to cough, choking on air.

Dean blinked his eyes tenderly, the brightness had burned his eyes a little. Dean had felt Cas pull away, and as he blinked, his eyes slowly recovered, the room coming back into view quickly. The brightness was fading from Cas, and Dean had seen where he had fallen, after he had pulled from Dean's embrace. Dean got up unsurely, his body swaying from the blood rush.

Cas was coughing, choking, tears running down his face. Dean saw Cas, and he stumbled forward unsurely towards him, fear mixing with lust. Cas was shaking, his coughing starting to recede, and Dean stumbled towards him, falling to his knees in front of Cas's body.

"Cas?", Dean asked unsuredly, rubbing his back with his hand. Cas's coughs finally ceased, and he opened his eyes. Dean took a small sigh of relief, Cas's eyes their usual blue. Cas blinked, unfocused, tears smearing on his face.

He looked up at Dean, pulling himself away from Dean, pushing himself towards the wall, his head knocking onto it. His arms grapsed around himself, and Cas pulled himself away from Dean, shaking. Dean felt the shock as Cas moved away, and the pain inside him intensified.

"Cas, Baby? It's okay.", Dean said, moving his hand forward to try to touch Cas again. Cas shook his head at him, jerking away,

"Stay away from me Dean. I'm dangerous. I could have blinded you. I could of- could have killed you.". Cas shook then letting out a small sob, his chest heaving. Cas had felt pain, he had felt fear, he had felt torturous amounts of sadness, but this felt different. And it scared Cas. He felt like he was falling, the clouds pushing past him once again.

"Cas, You're not going to hurt me. I trust you. Baby, look at me? C'mon.", Dean spoke to him quietly, soothingly. Dean placed his hands at Cas's, gripping it tight when Cas didn't pull away.

"Hey, We're going to be okay, alright? We're going to figure this out together.", Dean rubbed Cas's hand in his, and Cas moved forward towards Dean slowly. Dean opened his arms, and Cas scooted forward quickly, wrapping himself around Dean, shaking quietly. Dean felt Cas's tears dripping onto his t-shirt, pooling through the fabric onto his skin.

They sat there like that for a while, Cas's sobs slowly quieting, slowing down like a wave returning to an empty sea. Finally, Cas's tears stopped flowing, and they sat there like that, wrapped around each other like two anchors in a storm. Cas rested his head on Dean's shoulder, and Dean rested his forehead on his, Dean running his hands soothingly through Cas's hair.

Just as it felt as if Cas was going to fall asleep in his arms, Dean's stomach growled softly. Cas let out a snort, looking up at Dean with a smirk.

"What? I haven't had anything to eat in like 24 hours!", Dean exclaimed defensively. Cas let out a laugh at Dean's defensiveness, getting up slowly from the ground, pulling Dean up with him.

"Here, I saved some food away last time they brought food down.", Cas moved forward back towards the cot, pulling a piece of bread out from some corner he had hidden it in.

Cas tossed it towards Dean nonchalantly, and Dean caught it with both hands eagerly.

Dean opened his mouth, stuffing the whole piece in at once. Cas looked Dean up and down, raising an eyebrow at him.

"What? It's the freaking Apocalypse, Who gives a fuck about manners anymore?", Cas snorted at him, rolling his eyes at him.

"What a gentleman", Cas said, sarcastically, plopping back down onto the cot. Dean made a face back at him, like if he could of stuck his tongue out at him just then he would have.

Cas leaned back against the wall, putting his hands over his eyes tiredly. Dean plopped down next to him, grabbing his hand automatically.

"So, what are we going to do?", Cas asked him, gesturing to the room around them.

"We're going to bust out of here.", Dean said, swallowing the rest of the bread.

"Then, I'm going to gank all those black-eyed, pieces of shit upstairs.", Dean wiped his mouth off, and Cas looked at him with that cynical expression Dean had already memorized, Cas's eyebrows raised with that cynical smile.

"And then what?", Cas asked, looking at him unsurely. Dean looked back at him, smiling smally,

"Then you're going to come with me, baby. And we're going to find my brother and Gabriel." Cas smiled back at him then, a real smile, and he felt hope bubbling in his chest.

"You're coming with me, baby. And you want to know why?", Dean asked Cas, his voice low, seductive.

"Why?", Cas asked back, slowly, taking the bait,

"Because, sweetheart, You couldn't stay away from me if you tried.", Dean said, coyly. C

as scoffed pushing on Dean's shoulder, Dean's laugh echoing throughout the panic room, until Cas joined in, because Dean's laugh was so beautiful that it was almost contagious.

A creak outside the room stopped them dead in their tracks, and Cas put a protective hand out in front of Dean, holding him back, his hand on his chest. Dean took in a shallow breath, and Dean grasped his inhaler firmly in his hand, pulling it out from the pocket of his coat.

Cas stood up then, putting himself in front of Dean, as the door slowly creaked open.

* * *

Sam's ears were ringing, and his vision was blurring, tunneling in and out of that card in his hand. He could hear Gabriel talking, but it sounded far off and distant, like someone talking to him underwater.

Gabriel grabbed onto Sam's shoulder, dragging him back into the woods. Sam followed in a trance, Gabriel clutching him way too tight. Sam struggled against, him trying to push Gabriel off him. Gabriel's voice started to tune in, and Sam heard Gabriel talking midstream,

"- to pack up and get out of here, now. If this was just a random attack, they might come back if they think theres more of us, or if we have supplies.". Sam dug his heels into the forest floor, stopping Gabe in his tracks.

"Woah, woah woah. What are you saying Gabe?", Sam asked him, defensively, as Gabe stopped walking and looked back up at him. Gabe sighed, knowing that Sam wasn't going to like what he was about to suggest,

"I'm saying we should pack up all our stuff and leave. Get out of town while its still dark, make it back the way we came.". Sam felt Gabe's words like jabs of a knife in his chest,

"You want to leave Dean behind? After all this?". Gabe sighed, rubbing the shadows under his eyes,

"That's not what I meant, Sam, and you know it.". Sam pushed Gabriel's hand off him, his face turning into a scowl,

"Then what did you mean? It's obvious that it wasn't some random attack, Gabe. They left us a message.", Sam shot back at Gabe defensively, his words sharp. Gabe flinched at the harshness of his words,

"I know, Sam! Why do you think I want to get out of here? It's obviously a trap! They want us to come after him!", Gabe exclaimed, his voice raising, echoing in the woods around them.

Sam swallowed then, his words dying in his throat. He knew Gabe was right, but he knew they had to go after him. Dean would do it for him, no matter what the cost.

Sam thought of the pact Dean and him had made, in that field, as Dean has coughed violently, the life flowing back into his body. Gabriel had collapsed behind him, the last of his grace burning up as they spoke.

Sam had bent down, grabbing Dean in his arms, as Dean had coughed, his body shaking on the ground. Dean had looked up at him then, blinking harshly against the bright light of day.

"Sammy? Is that you?", Sam let out a sob then, holding Dean's face in his hands, Dean looking up at him like he had died and gone to Heaven.

"Yea, Dean, It's me.", Sammy answered back then, his tears dripping onto Dean's face. Dean relaxed in his arms, his body going limp, and Sam saw the relief rushing through his eyes.

"How? Sammy, how am I here?", Dean asked, confusion overriding his exhausted face.

"Shh- It's alright, Dean. I'll explain everything later.", Sam answered him, reassuringly, as he stood up, pulling Dean up to his feet with him.

Sam held Dean up in his arm, his body light and fragile in his grip. Dean looked like a former shell of himself, a skeleton out of Sam's closet. Dean closed his eyes, swaying against the breeze. Dean opened his eyes, looking up at Sammy's face. Dean grabbed his arms with both hands, gripping him tightly.

"Sammy, promise me something.", Dean asked him, his voice hoarse and tired.

"What, Dean?", Sammy asked him, hurriedly, his eyes watering again.

"Promise me, no matter what, We'll never get separated again.", Dean asked him, his whole body shaking with exertion. Sam gulped them, shaking his head quickly,

"I promise, Dean. No matter what.". Sam blinked out of the flashback, into the present.

Gabriel was staring at him, concerned, looking at him with that guardian angel expression he always wore.

"I'm fine, Gabe.", Sam answered before Gabriel had even spoken, before Sam opened his mouth to speak again.

"We're going after Dean, and that's a fact. Non-negotiable.", Sam said, his voice like stone. Gabriel sighed then, swearing in enochian in a rapid spitfire of emotion,

"Fine! Fine! Dammit Sam!". Gabe raised his hands up in defeat, sagging his shoulders in defeat. Sam's face softened, looking at Gabe apologetically,

"Look, Gabe. We'll do this the smart way. We'll do recon for a couple of days. We'll stock up on gunpowder, try to figure out what we're going up against." Gabe nodded calmly, turning around slowly and walking slowly back towards their camp, Sam walking right behind him.

Gabe looked over his shoulder as they walked, talking as they moved,

"Your lucky I like you, Sammy. And that were friends. And that I was stupid enough to stuck in that Guardian Angel contract with your Dad."

Sam scoffed then, his eyes rolling up in his head,

"Yea, right, Gabe. I know that you're a sucker for morality, even if you try to hide it behind all that bullshit." Gabe laughed at that, his eyes downward,

"Yea, maybe", Gabe answered quietly, as they reached the marker towards their camp.

"Well, as your guardian fucking angel, I guess I'm taking first watch.", Sam smirked at him then, moving by his to go into the tent,

"Yea, I guess you are." Sam patted him on the back as he went by, and zipped the tent closed behind him.

Sam crawled back in the dark towards his sleeping bag, exhaustion settling back over him, clouding his worry with haze.

Sam squished back into his sleeping bag, a yawn settling over him. Sam rolled onto his stomach, squishing his arms around his pillow. He blinked a few times, before he drifted off back into unconsciousness.

Gabriel stood outside, the lone archangel, sitting quietly by the marker point.

Gabe looked down at his hand, snapping his fingers magically, conjuring up his favorite candy bar into his other. Gabe's power was all but gone, but with that little spark left that the two Winchesters kept in him, that Humanity, he was able to do the small things.

 Gabriel smiled, peeling the wrapper, and munching the bar in his mouth. He stared toward the horizon as he ate, wondering when morning came what the hell it would bring with it.


	5. Chapter 5

Castiel's body slumped through the ground, a sinking boat on a turbulent sea, Anna watched as its sails went beneath the waves. Uriel held the grace is his open hands, misting between his fingers like a fog.

Uriel turned to Raphael, and Raphael smiled gleefully. Raphael grabbed the grace, holding the misty orb in his hands, before quickly pushing it towards the middle of his own chest. His chest cavity opened up, bright light eeking out as he pushed Castiel's grace into his own. Raphael's eyes lit up as he absorbed Castiel's grace, and light poured out of his mouth like he had a million lightning bugs stuck between his teeth.

Anna blinked as the light died down, and Raphael stood in front of them, even more powerful than he had been seconds before. Raphael walked down the steps towards them, straightening his suit as he walked. Anna's hands shook with fury, clenching and unclenching as he moved closer to her.

"How much stolen grace is pumping through your veins, Rahpael? What, Not strong enough to fight our garrison on your own?", Anna taunted to him as he moved closer. Raphael moved till he was standing right in front of her, and she struggled against the guards arms restraining her.

"Look at me, Anna.", Raphael said, his eyes staring into hers, deep pools of black. "The grace of every person you've ever cared about is inside me right now. Your whole garrison, entombed in mine.", Raphael said, his words quiet, but they echoed through the room like an explosion.

"Every survivor of your garrison stood where you stood now. I watched every one of them as Uriel ripped their grace from their bodies, as he stabbed their mortal souls at my feet.", Uriel licked his lips then, like a savage beast about to pounce on its prey.

"Michael was out of line, to try to defy me. He didn't deserve to lick my boots, more less run Heaven-", Anna spit then, Her saliva pooling on his face, oozing down his cheek. Anna smirked as Raphael wiped his face, a look of disgust dominating his expression. Raphael flicked his hand downwards, shaking off Anna's spit. He opened his eyes, his hands striking out towards Anna.

His fists wrapped around Anna's throat, and she struggled against him, her arms restrained at her sides. Samandriel cried out, and he tried to struggle towards her, but his guards knocked him down, and he sat up on his knees and watched helplessly, grasping at her as the guards restrained him. Raphael squeezed her throat tighter, and all that came out of Anna's mouths were little heaves and gasps. He pulled her slowly towards his face, until his face was above hers, looking down at her as she suffocated. Anna coughed and gagged, her hands struggling to save herself.

Raphael threw her down, her guards finally releasing her. Anna lay down on her sides, her arms spread out under her. Anna coughed and gasped, her lungs screaming from the oxygen finally pouring back into her system. Anna coughed once more before retching spit onto the ground in front of her, and tears blurred her vision. Raphael kicked her in the side, and she skidded across the fine marble floor.

Anna's mouth was bleeding, and her side ached, as she looked up at her captors. Anna had landed near Samandriel, and his sad eyes looked at hers desperately as he knelt there on the floor next to her. He pushed free from his guards, crawling forward towards Anna. Samandriel stroked her face gingerly, his other hand resting on her shoulder as he helped her try to sit up.

Anna winced and air blew from her teeth in a hiss as she let Samandriel guide her into a sitting position. One of her ribs was definitely broken, and her grace moved desperately to try to fix the damage done to her before more was inflicted. Samandriel kept his arms around her, his two arms holding onto hers like a drowning man clings to a buoy on the sea. Raphael took his time moving forwards, blood speckling his suit, stepping in Anna's blood as he walked towards them.

"This was just a taste of what's to come, Anna. I'll give you one chance now to tell me what I want to know.", Raphael stopped in front of her, his hands folding serenely in front of his waist. Anna started, Michael's words flashing across her mind. She tried to keep her expression blank, but Raphael smiled at her giveaway reaction.

"Good, You know what I'm talking about. This makes everything ten times easier.", Raphael said plainly, like the prospect of torturing information out of her was a perfect example of everyday conversation. Samandriel looked over at her confused, his eyebrows scrunching on his forehead. Anna looked away from him then, not meeting his gaze. She had to try to protect him, protect all of them. Anna swallowed the lump in her throat, the silence in the room deafening as she prepared to speak.

"I don't know what you're talking about.", Anna said, quietly, but confidently. Thank her lucky stars for that, she thought, her voice unwavering as she had spoken. "You never make things easy, Do you Anna?", Raphael shook his head, before snapping his fingers at his guard dogs around him. Instantly, the two guards guarding Samandriel moved forward, yanking him up away from her. Anna cried out as they tore him away, her hands grasping at his as they lifted him up.

Samandriel cried out, "Anna!", Desperately, his eyes scared. The two guards held him by each arm, and Anna looked desperately back towards Raphael. His eyes flicked from Samandriel back to hers, "Here's whats going to happen, Anna." Raphael's voice echoed through the room, and Anna could hear her heartbeat in her ears, her blood pumping through her veins.

"You're going to tell me what Michael said to you-", Anna went to interrupt but he silenced her, continuing, "And if you don't, every hit that should be yours will be taken out on poor Samandriel here." Anna's face drained of color as she realized what was about to happen. Raphael was torturing her, in a way that was worse than actually torturing her.

Michael had told her to protect the knowledge with her life, but did he realize what would happen if she got caught? Would he want her to protect his secret, even to this extent? Anna swallowed the lump in her throat, closing her eyes briefly at the realization of the choice she was about to make. These Winchesters, If Rahpael knew about them, he would destroy them before they ever had a chance to defeat him. The fate of the universe was in her hands, and in her hands she chose them. She couldn't tell him, no matter what the cost.

Anna opened her eyes, as a single tear slid down her cheek. Anna met Samandriel's gaze, and she recognized the recognition on his, That she wouldn't be able to save him from this. She held his gaze, as he slowly slid back down, deflating, "I'm Sorry, Samandriel. I'm so, so, sorry." Anna's voice shook, and she tore her gaze away from his back to Rahpael.

To her triumph, he looked surprise at her decision. Anna wiped away her tears, her eyes hardening as she stared straight ahead at Raphael. "I said, Raphael, I don't know what you're talking about.", Anna's voice deadpanned through the room, and she moved her cold eyes across the other angels in the room with them. This is what she had to do, and she would do it. For Michael. Raphael smiled then, that nasty Cheshire cat grin, and spoke,

"Bring me Naomi." He smiled down at Anna, as horror bloomed in her chest at his words. Behind her she heard the door open, and heard the click of high heels against solid marble. Raphael looked behind her, his smile turning genuine. He looked around the room then, triumphant, his gaze sweeping over Samandriel and Anna, his minions, his kingdom.

"Let's get started then, Shall We?", Anna closed her eyes as Samandriel's first cry ripped through the room, ripping her apart into a million pieces.

* * *

Light bled into the panic room slowly, creaking and creeping in silently, like a shadow of a doubt, setting Dean's hair on ends. Dean murmured quickly grabbing Cas's arm, "Move! Get outta my way! I'll rip his freaking throat out!", Dean hissed in Cas's ear, as the door started to gain speed as whoever on the other side pushed it with more force.

Cas looked over his shoulder at him, rolling his eyes, snapping his attention back to the figure in front of them as the door slammed against the wall. Dean swallowed a lump growing in his throat, as his eyes slid up and down the figure in front of him, the unholy monster that Dean swore he never wanted to see again. His sudden braveness evaporated, and he grabbed at Cas weakly as he felt all resolve empty out of him, his knees beginning to shake. Alastair.

Alastair leaned against the doorway jam so casually, like this was just a friendly drop in between friends, not a hostage situation. Alastair chewed on a toothpick in his mouth, one hand holding it there, the other loosely holding his belt, like some kind of faux-seductive cowboy. Dean shuddered inwardly at the thought,  _I'm just making this ten times worse right now._

Cas stood in front of him still, silent, an angelic statue of resolution. Dean couldn't help but look down from where his hand was on Cas's arms, at those scars that covered him. Dean made a resolve then, that nothing like this was going to happen to anyone else. Dean squeezed Cas's arm, moving forward to stand side by side with him. Cas looked towards him, his face scared and confused, but Dean nodded at him surely, trying to reassure him that nothing bad was going to happen.

The silence grew in the room, until Dean was about to open his mouth to let out a beastly remark just to fill the silence. Alastair dropped his hand back to his side, letting the toothpick fall out of his mouth towards the ground.

"I can't believe what I see before my two black eyes. Dean Winchester.", Alastair started finally, his southern crawl creeping up Dean's spine perversely. "My own little Shawshank. Mmm, Deano, My superiors were not pleased when you went missing, No sir.", Alastair took a step into the room then, the door slamming shut behind him, the lock clicking in place.

Dean felt the dread inside him then, all those memories washing over him. Too fresh to bear, 40 years of pain brimming behind his eyelids. Cas looked at him uncertainly, as Dean looked at him through eyes tainted with pain and bloodshed.

"But, I guess everything turned out for the best now, Deano boy. You're here, I'm here. And I've seen you've met my little pet, over there.", Alastair gave Castiel a mischievous grin, looking him up and down slowly like a pig in a market. Cas squirmed under his gaze, his arms wrapping around his bare torso self-consciously, his eyes never looking up from the ground.

"Still sore from our last playdate, Sweetheart?", Alastair taunted him, stepping in Cas's direction. Dean clenched his fists, anger coursing through him, fueling him with adrenaline. Dean looked back at Cas, just standing there, his eyes on the ground. His eyes were dead, Dean couldn't see any of his light behind them, and he knew that Cas had disconnected, checked out. Dean guessed it was a coping mechanism, had seen Cas expression on his own face too many times to count.

Alastair took another taunting step, and Dean couldn't take it anymore. "Enough!", Dean snarled, stepping in front of Cas protectively. Alastairs eyes slid slowly from Cas's onto Dean in front of him. Dean heard Cas take in a breath of air behind him, heard his angels knees shaking in defeat.

"Leave him alone, Alastair. I'm the one you want, Aren't I?", Dean moved his arms out to his sides as he spoke, like he was offering himself up to be taken, And In a way, he was. He was facing the beast, and the beast was staring right at him. Alastair licked his lips, moving his eyes along Dean's body like he had done to Cas, but Dean stood his ground, and finally Alastair met his eyes.

"Aren't you the brave one, Dean? Always were the one to take a bullet for another. Even this... monstrosity.", Alastair laughed at his own words, gesturing up and down at Cas like Cas was a freak show attraction.

"This coward. He's barely even an angel. And yet you still stand up for him, Do you even know who he is?", Alastair laughed, his voice tinged with disbelief. Dean didn't react, staring Alastair down cooly.

"He was in charge of one of the main garrison's in Heaven, Second in command to Michael himself. His garrison's the reason we're all here in the first place.", Alastair laughed again, and Dean spared a quick glance over his shoulder. Cas looked horrible, he was pale, and sweaty, and he looked just so damn guilty. Cas met his gaze quickly, looking away quickly, his face burning with shame.

"Yea, Deano, take a good long look at your boy here. His garrison failed to stop Raphael's army, and because of that, Raphael's forces destroyed Earth.", Dean swallowed, shock coursing through his system at what Alastair was saying. Could it be true? Dean doubted what Alastair said, he knew better than anyone that all demons do is lie, especially this bastard in front of him.

"You still want to stand by him, Deano? Your willing to protect this sorry excuse for an angel?", Alastair gestured at Cas as he spoke, a condescending tone in his voice. Dean narrowed his eyes, folding his arms in front of him in resolve,

"I don't give two flying fucks what you think, Alastair. Especially about things you don't know shit about, like angels. Especially about Cas." Alastair's grin slowly slid off his face, and Dean recognized the look that replaced it. Cold fury. Alastair set his mouth in a straight line, straightening himself out in front of them, like cat with a mouse in its paws.

Dean looked back at Cas then, and Cas looked up at him, his expression relieved, and grateful. Dean felt his face flush, and he turned back to Alastair just as Alastair lunged forward towards him. Cas cried out as Alastair grabbed him, slamming Dean up against the solid wall. Cas went to move forward, his resolve hardening against Alastair, his protectiveness towards Dean overrunning his fear. Before Cas could even take a step forward, Alastair had whipped out a blade, holding it against Dean's throat.

Dean looked down at an angle, trying to see with his peripheral vision what Alastair had on him. Recognition clicked in Dean's head, corrensiding with his memories, a rusty box cutter stinging his skin.

"Nobody... move. Or I swear this time, Deano, I'll really skin you. Just like I always wished I could back in Hell, our good old days.", Alastair's words dropped through the room, explosions, like small bombs, with every word. Dean stood silent, his jaw set, as he stared back into Alastair's gaze.

"And you, little Angel, Don't even think of making a move on me. I have nothing stopping me from ripping your new mates heart from his chest.", Alastair looked over his shoulder towards Cas, his eyes deadly serious. Cas stood there, his fists unclenching and clenching at his sides, his mouth set in a stony line. Dean saw thunder in his gaze, and he knew that whatever Cas was before this, He was powerful. The thought of it kinda turned Dean on, and Dean once again found himself making his situation ten times worse.

"Now, Deano, We're going to walk through the door. And if you try to pull anything, even one single thought of mutiny crosses your, small, monkey brain, I'll make you wish you had never found your way out of Hell.", Alastair stared at him, waiting for recognition to cross Dean's face. Dean quickly flicked his eyes to Cas, trying to convey in so many seconds that everything was going to be fine, before his eyes snapped back to Alastair and he nodded his head.

Alastair smiled then, satisfied, and he pulled Dean towards the locked door. Alastair swiveled his hand in a turning motion, unlocking the door from the inside, pulling Dean over the door way as he went through. Dean looked one last time over his shoulder, to his angel standing there.

Cas stood in the middle of the room, his expression lost, as the door slowly closed in front of him.

* * *

When morning broke, Gabriel walked quietly into the tent his shoes ruffling the tent flooring beneath Sam's sleeping bag. Sam opened one eye a crack, the light from the open tent flap hurting his eyes, and he covered his hands over his face and let out a grumpy groan. Gabriel let out a snicker, and Sam glanced at him in between the cracks in his fingers, at his companion standing there.

Gabe cocked his head at him, that peppy smirk on his face, "Well, Rise and shine Sammy. You're the one who wants to run into this trap, Am I right? So let's get moving!" Gabe snapped his fingers, Heat Of The Moment playing out of thin air. Sam groaned rolling over and covering his head with his pillow, Gabe knew how much he hated that fucking song.

Gabe laughed at his reaction, snapping his fingers again, as their campsite starting to disassemble itself. Gabe was stronger than most of the angels left on Earth because of his Archangel status, but even with that his power was limited. He couldn't zap around or make his infamous mirages, but he still could do little things. He could conjure up small things they needed, and he could do his Mary Poppins trick with their campsite items packing themselves up, But if they got into a real jam, He wouldn't be able to heal them. He was just like the rest of them, He could fight, and he could scavenge, and Sam was thankful for that.

Sam got up lazily, then, heaving himself up and out of the sleeping bag. He slid on a pair of jeans and a shirt, knowing that if he didn't hurry up and get up out of the tent that it would start cleaning itself up with him in it. Sam had learned that the hard way. Sam walked out into the early morning, the smell of fire and brimstone burning his nose. He looked to his right towards the road they had come upon, spotting the fires in the distant, the crackle of flames licking up every inch of nature in its way.

Gabriel walked up next to him, standing side by sides with Sammy.

"You know, Sam, We don't have to do this.", Gabe said quietly, his eyes focused on the firey horizon in front of them. Sam smiled sadly, his eyes downcast,

"You know we can't do that ", Gabe sighed, his eyes skimming the horizon,

"Yeah, I know. I thought I might ask, you know, before we go and get ourselves killed." Sam looked over at Gabe,

"We'll make it through this, We always do. We'll get Dean back." Sam started to turn to leave, but stopped when Gabe spoke,

"Then what, Sam? What are we going to do?" Sam stopped, his shoulders clenching, his back turned towards Gabe. Sam closed his eyes, dreading the conversation about to happen.

"The whole point of coming out here was to find Bobby. But if the demons are at his place, then what are we going to find when we get there?" Sam didn't answer, Gabe's words mirroring his own thoughts that had been running circles in his head since the night before.

"Our whole plan was get to Bobby, and then figure the rest out. We were all betting on Bobby being able to lead us. But I hate to break it to ya Sam, but our plan doesn't look like it's going to pan out!", Gabe's voice raised at the last part, his sarcasm masking his logic. Sam spun around back towards him then, his hands out at his sides defensively,

"Look, Gabe! I'm sorry this isn't working out. And I'm sorry this wasn't the life you saw yourself living. But it's the life we were given, and its the life I'm going to keep. We'll figure it out, Like We always do. Me and Dean always have, that's not going to stop now.", Sam's words rang out across the early morning, and Sam stared back at Gabriel, their eyes locked. Gabe turned away first, breaking their stare down,

"Look, Sam. I'm sorry. I just have such a bad feeling about this. Dean being missing-", Gabe stopped, taking a moment to collect his thoughts, his eyes cloudy and confused. Sam looked at his friend then, and realized how confusing this all must be, even for an archangel. Gabe had humanity thrust upon him, and had to learn to cope in a world tearing itself apart. Sam couldn't even imagine all the emotions running through Gabe, and he felt his anger melting away. Like it always did. Gabe probably was just as scared as Sam was, if not even more frightened.

"What?", Gabe asked him, looking at him quizzically, his usual snarky expression dominating his face.

"Nothing. Let's just go. We'll take the Impala, head into town.", Sam said, shaking himself out of his thoughts. Gabe nodded grabbing their stuff off the ground, and Sam grabbed the rest. They walked towards the woods, back where the Impala was parked. Sam slid into the driver seat, and Gabe took shotgun. Just like old times, Sam thought sarcastically, thinking about him and Gabriel's rocky beginning.

Sam started the car, and they turned out onto the road towards town. They cut the engine as they got closer to town, not wanting to risk calling attention to themselves. From town, Bobby's house was only a fifteen/twenty-minute walk away. After Sam and Gabe got their stuff from the trunk Gabe snapped his fingers, masking the car to look useless and abandoned.

"Ready when you are.", Gabe said, turning to Sam. Sam nodded, his eyes darting around the streets near them. They walked quickly forwards, not stopping to stare at the desolated landscape they found themselves in. They had been walking with no interruptions for about five minutes, when Sam heard a noise behind them. Sam stopped, grabbing Gabe's arm, and Gabe turned towards him confused, his mouth opening, but Sam quickly shushed him.

Sam strained his ears to hear, picking up only the rustling of paper and trash, things shuffling in the wind. Gabe waited a few seconds, and not hearing anything made an impatient face at Sam and turned to go. Sam let out a breath of air, turning to follow Gabe when a man walked out from the spot Sam had heard noises from.

"Shit.", Sam swore quietly, his eyes scanning the man quickly. Gabe froze at Sam's tone, turning back towards him, "Is it one of them?", Gabe's voice was quiet, steely. The man stopped when it saw them standing there, his eyes wild and maniac, before focusing on them. His eyes flicked to black, and he let out a loud, horrible scream.

"Yea, definitely a Croat.", Sam answered quickly, nodding up and down. Just then three more came around the same corner, just as decomposed and murderous as the one already in front of them. Sam reached out without looking, Grabbing Gabriel's arms,

"Run!" Sam grabbed Gabe, spinning them around towards the street in front of them, dragging him at lightning speeds.

"We have to lose them, hide somewhere while they lose our scent!", Sam yelled, as they ran down the next alley they reached, Sam grabbing Gabe around each turn and curve, not trusting the angel to keep up on his own. They turned around the last corner, finding themselves staring at a dead-end.

"Fuck.", Sam swore, turning in a circle, looking for escape routes. Gabe watched at the four croats stumbled into the alley, blocking their escape.

The four of them all had weapons, made from whatever they could scavenge. They walked down, gloating over their possible kill. Sam whipped his gun out, and Gabe did the same. But even if they got off a few shots, they would be on them before they could stop them all. Sam looked at Gabe frantically, hoping Gabe had thought of something he hadn't, But Gabe just looked at him helplessly. Sam swore again, knowing this was it.

He closed his eyes briefly, thinking about everything he had been through. Sam wondered where Dean was, and what would happen to him when they didn't show up at Bobby's. What would Dean think happened to them? That Sam had gotten killed, or worse, that he had run off without him?

The croats walked in closer, and Sam could smell the rotten stench coming off them, like rotting meats and spoiled milk. Sam could see the grunge and grime on their bodies, maggots squirming in their wounds, eating away the dead skin. Sam closed his eyes once more, trying to gather his courage.  _Dean, I'm sorry._ Sam flicked his eyes back open, turning towards Gabe and raising his gun, ready to go down swinging, and Gabe did the same, nodding at him like a crew salutes the captain of a sinking ship.

As Sam cocked his gun, pinning his target on the first croat, a shitty Ford Ranchero came screeching into the alley, tires burning rubber, radio blasting. The croats turned at the noise, and Sam jumped on the distraction.

Sam fired his gun hitting the first croat in the leg, and it screamed its monstrous scream as it fell to the ground. The others turned back at the blast, and Gabe let out a shot, hitting the second croat in the chest, 1,2,3 times. Sam reached his croat, grabbing it by the hair, making sure to keep its infected jaws away from his flesh, and quickly delivered a headshot straight into its skull.

Gabe's croat kept coming, the shots Gabe had hit him with just managing to piss it off. It reached Gabe in an angry snarl, and Gabe stumbled with his gun, pushing it back into his pocket, before reaching out to protect himself from the Croat. Gabe slipped his angel blade out of his pocket, his confidence rising with his best weapon in his hands.

The monster reached out at him, and Gabe quickly sliced its sickly arm with his blade, searing the rotten flesh right off it. The thing howled, lunging at Gabe again, spittle foaming from his mouth and covering Gabe's face as the croat knocked them to the ground.

Sam dropped the dead croat, looking up at the two walking corpses overtaking whoever had just attempted to rescue them. Sam swore, jumping up and running towards the Ford Ranchero.

The figure in the car had gotten out, and was shooting frantically at the croats. The figure hit the one, knocking it to its feet as the other one moved forwards, gaining momentum.

Gabe struggled under the weight of the croat, pushing on it frantically, trying to keep its claws and teeth away from his skin. Gabe reached frantically around with his one arm on the ground for his blade, before finding it underneath him. Gabe swore, pulling it out from beneath him, slicing out against the croat frantically. The blade went into the Croats head, coming gorely out the other side of its head.

Gabe swore again as the guts dripped all over him, throwing the body to the side frantically, wiping the gore off his face while he tried to sit up, trying to focus his eyes on Sam in front of them.

Sam ran forward holstering his gun and whipping out his demon knife that had Dean had lost in the struggle last night. Sam stabbed fiercely into the croats back as he reached it, quickly pulling it back out as the croats eyes began to flicker and burn from the wound.

He turned towards the guy who rescued them just as a loud shot rang out in front of him. Sam started, as the last remaining Croat fell to its feet, the figure before them standing there, his gun still pointed towards where the croat had just stood.

The figures hand shook, and Sam stared down the barrel of the gun as the figure slowly lowered it, holstering it into his back pocket. Gabriel ran up then, panting, and covered in muck, but generally good for wear. Sam turned back towards the man in front of them, who shakily swallowed loudly, rubbing sweat off his face, before looking up at them.

It was a guy, a skinny little twig of a guy at that, with brown floppy hair, and a bit of brown scruffle on his face. He had a beat up old blue hat, that looked kinda like Bobby's. He had on a green army coat, that looked like something Dean would wear, and big old brown eyes. Sam instantly relaxed, this wasn't some maniac, reveling in the chaos of the end of the world. It was just.. a guy.

"Well, Hi there, y'all. I'm Garth Fitzgerald the IV. Nice to meet ya.", Garth held out his hand towards Sam, and Sam slowly reached his hand forward and shook it. Gabe gave Sam a quizzical looking, looking Garth up and down and giving a look back to Sam.

"Umm.. I'm Sam Winchester. This is uh.. Gabe." Sam said, letting go of Garth's hand, and giving him a forced smile. "Sam Winchester?", Garth asked, his expression curious. Sam's face instantly hardened, and Gabe took a step back, his hand moving self-consciously towards the holster,

"Why do you ask?", Sam answered, his words emotionless.

"Easy now, fellas.", Garth said, raising his hands up defensively, "I'm a friend of Bobby Singer. I'm a hunter." Garth pulled down the collar of his shirt, showing an anti possession symbol tattooed there.

Sam slowly started to relax, though he still wasn't sure if he trusted this guy yet.

"Can you give us a moment?", Sam asked Garth, as Sam pulled Gabe a couple of feet away. "Okay, What the Hell?", Sam said, "I don't know, Sam.", Gabe responded his expression equally as weirded out as Sam's.

"No seriously though, What The Hell?", Sam asked, exasperated, and Gabe uttered his same response.

"What do you think, Gabe? Should we trust him? Do you sense anything off about the guy? Anything demon-y?", Sam asked earnestly, and Gabe shook his head.

"I'm not getting any vibes off him other than that he's way too smiley. Gives me the creeps.", Gabe shivered, and Sam rolled his eyes.

"Be serious.", Sam pleaded to Gabe, who was already back to his normal self after their close encounter.

"Let's just hear him out, and if we trust him, we can test him with holy water and go from there.", Gabe said, and Sam nodded, thinking along the same lines.

They walked back towards Garth, and Garth looked up as they approached, smiling again.

"So whats up amigos?", Garth said, greeting them as they returned.

"Okay, Like how do you know who I am? How did you know we would be here?", Sam asked, suspicion masking his words.

"Well, Like I said I'm a friend of Bobby's. As soon as the world started falling apart, I threw tail and ran all the way here.", Garth said, looking at both of them as he spoke.

"And I had no idea you guys would be here, honest. I was just driving by when I saw those croats after you. As a hunter, Its my duty to try to kill as many black-eyed croats as I can.", Garth said.

Sam had watched him as he had spoken, and he could tell that Garth was telling the truth. Sam started to relax, looking at Gabe who seemed to reach the same conclusion.

Garth looked back and forth between the two of them, gauging them opening up to him before continuing,

"And I know who you are, Sam, because everyone knows who you and Dean are. You guys are hunter celebrities!", Garth exclaimed, his eyes lighting up as he spoke. Gabe laughed at that, and Sam smirked, looking down at the ground self-consciously.

"And, Bobby used to talk about you guys all the time. You guys were like his own two boys.", Sam's smile drooped a little at that, wondering what had happened to Bobby that let Demons take over his house. Gabe looked at him knowingly, before Garth started to speak again,

"And when the world starting falling apart Bobby called me. He told me to get my ass out to Sioux Falls. He said he had discovered something, and that it was important. Like saving the world kind of important.", At that Sam's head snapped back up, and Gabe and him both spoke at the same time,

"What did he say?", They glanced at each other, annoyed at their synchronization. Garth chuckled at that, before answering,

"He said that if something happened to him I had to find you and Dean. Bobby told me he had found an old prophecy while doing research, and that if everything else failed that I had to make sure to help you guys find it." Garth answered solemnly at the idea of Bobby in trouble. Sam answered Garth hurriedly, his voice intense,

"Did Bobby say anything else to you, Garth? Anything at all? Anything that might not of seemed important but might be now?" Sam spoke quickly, his voice humming with electricity. Garth looked away from them both nervously, looking to Sam, to Gabe, and looking down at the ground before he spoke,

"He did say one thing...", He stopped, not daring to go on, "What?", Sam asked impatiently. Garth swallowed before looking up,

"He said the prophecy was about you and Dean. That you two were going to save the world or something. That Dean was destined to save Heaven-", At this Garth hesitated, not daring to go on. Sam's throat had gone dry, absorbing what Garth was saying.

"What did he say about me, Garth?", Sam asked quietly, silently dreading what he knew he was about to hear. Garth answered quietly, not meeting Sam's eyes before answering,

"And that you were destined to rule Hell with Lucifer".


End file.
